Black Butler
by HiddenXEmotion
Summary: Revenge means different things for different people. Driven by guilt. Anger. Sadness. Everyone has their own cause. Even Aurora. She promised Alibaster to get revenge against the Phantomhives for what happened to his mother and it seems that, yet again, a certain demon is found in her path. She thought she could forget it all but it seems that fate has other plans for the Tigress.
1. Prologue

**Black Butler**

**Prologue**

_**"My mother told me everything that had happened twenty-five years ago.**__ About you and Vincent. My grandparents. The Dolsens. How Uncle Reymond was taken from her. I need your help. My mother told me what the price would be. I'm willing to pay it. I learned everything that made my mother suffer and who had done it. You're the one that helped my family all those years ago. It may have been twenty years ago, but I'm praying that you will help us one more time."_

_"And just what do you want?"_

_"Revenge against the Phantomhives."_

"Well, this is what I wanted, isn't it?" Alibaster Drakeford commented as they stared up at the house before them. At the silence, he turned to the woman beside him. "Aurora?"

"He's there…" She whispered. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the house. I can hear him…feel him…" She clutched at the front of her shirt. "But why? Has he made a contract with the Phantomhives this time? It must be so."

"He?" Alibaster asked.

"Crow."

The man's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing as a small smirk spread across his face as they returned to the mansion before them. "So, the monster that killed Uncle Reymond is within there as well? It's like killing two birds with one stone," He then glanced back at Aurora. "Or rather, a cat."

Aurora couldn't help but pull a small smile at his pun. "Behave yourself, Alibaster. All good things to those who wait."

The man snorted.

Alibaster Drakeford, the age of 24, was at the height of 6'3' with reddish-brown hair curled behind his ears as the Drakeford ring rested on his left hand. His eyes were a dark grey in the night as he was wearing a suit of blue and white.

"Lady Aurora is right, Lord Drakeford." A third voice joined them. "Patience."

"Victor," Alibaster sighed at his servant. "You always take her side."

The man chuckled. "That's because I've seen what she can do. What they both can do." Victor Jones was not a child anymore; nor was he a mute. He was now in his early thirties at the height of 6'2' with his short blond hair and bright blue eyes. "And though she is strong, Vincent beat her last time."

"Please, Victor. That was 25 years ago. I doubt Aurora will let that happen again. Besides, she has you and me both here to help her now. That little dastardly bird-friend of her's will not win again, right Aurora?"

The woman sighed. "We will see."

Aurora Rush looked like she was in her twenties at the height of 5'9' with long, black hair and eyes mixed with the color of Amethyst and Ruby. Dressed in leather pants and boots, her shirt was a dark pink as diamonds hung from her ears. A leather jacket hung to her ankles as matching gloves were worn on her hands.

"What's this? No faith in yourself, Aurora?"

The demon's lips spread into a soft smile as she continued to stare down at the house. "Oh no, the faith is there. It's always been there. It just depends on whether or not I want to use it any time soon."

Alibaster glanced at her again. "You won't leave me hanging, will you Auntie?" Aurora didn't respond; she just lifted her feet and jumped off the hill. Alibaster and Victor watched as she landed on the steps of the manor. "I hate it when she does that," he sighed. "She does it because I can't do it and it ticks me off."

"You get used to it, my Lord." Victor told him.

"I've told you not to call me that." The man hissed as he led the way after Aurora. "I am not a Lord. I am not my father."

Victor closed his eyes and followed in silence.

~One…two, three…five humans~ Aurora counted. ~and Crow. All on the upper floor; sleeping. Crow knows I'm here, though. And knows I have companions. If he didn't then he's an idiot but I highly doubt that will happen.~ She glanced over her shoulder as Alibaster and Victor walked up the stairs behind her. "Ready?"

"I was ready the moment Mother told me everything." Alibaster told her.

In silence, a small smile on her lips still, Aurora lifted up her right foot and kicked the door of the Phantomhive Manor in.

"Well, they know we're here now," Victor smiled. "It won't be long before they come down here to see what happened."

"On the second floor, to the southwest, the four humans. Take care of them for me, will you Victor?" Aurora asked him. "The two that we're after are the other way." Victor nodded and hurried up the stairs, leaving the two on the first floor.

"Are you going to be able to do this?" Alibaster asked. "If he tries to get in my way?"

"Do what you want, Ali," Aurora told him. "Let me take care of him." Stepping forward, she led the way to the dining hall where the demon was now at, waiting on them.

As she stepped in, she received a flashback of when she first arrived to the Drakeford Manor. The two children stood by her side as their distant relatives all looked at them. She had taken the identity of some woman that their mother had known and…well, the name kind of stuck over the years.

There was only one form in the head chair of the dining hall, staring at them with a frolicsome smile.

"Well, well, well," The man's voice held a playful tune. "Look whose come out of hiding."

Aurora's smile didn't waver. "Who was hiding? The one in plain view or the one who didn't search?"

Alibaster moved in with a frown at the sight of the man in the chair. "This is Phantomhive? I was expecting something…more."

"No," the man in the chair stood up with a smile. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis. I am the Phantomhive butler and you are currently trespassing onto Lord Phantomhive's grounds."

Alibaster smirked. "Our apologies but we didn't come here for pleasantries. Go and fetch-"

"Stop playing games, Crow." Aurora's smile was gone now as a serious look took over.

"My apologies, Cat. Or are you still going as Aurora Rush?" Sebastian asked.

"There's no need for me to change my name around the man that I helped raised." Aurora told him. "Meet Remora's son, Alibaster."

Sebastian looked a bit surprised for a moment. "_That _son?" Aurora's silence answered his question. "Well, would you look at that? I thought for sure that she would have gotten rid of it after Reymond died."

Alibaster smirked. "So, you're the one that killed Reymond. I finally get to meet the monster. You look different than you did in the pictures Mother would draw."

Alibaster was right. Crow looked different than he had when he was Vincent.

Sebastian Michaelis reached the height of 6'1' with short black hair and red eyes; there were no glasses this time. Dressed in the black trousers, tailcoat, and vest of a butler he wore the Phantomhive crest on his shirt cuffs and tie as a chain led to a pocket and a lapel pin with the crest as well with white gloves.

"Well, I can't go around looking the same all the time, now can I?" Sebastian smiled. "I take it that you're not here for tea. Is it revenge that you seek, perhaps?"

"Me? Yes," Alibaster nodded. "But not against you. Aurora is the one that you'll have your little chat with. I'm after Phantomhive, not his pet."

Sebastian looked at the man for a moment before glancing at Aurora. "You taught him to talk, didn't you?"

"She taught him more than that, Vincent." Aurora turned to see that Victor was walking into the room as well.

"Did you take care of the others?" Alibaster asked him.

"Yes. I didn't like hitting a woman but I wasn't about to just let her shoot me, either." Victor sighed and then looked at the butler and he made a silent comment about the other three that worked at the manor.

"You've grown, Victor." Sebastian commented.

"Twenty-five years will do that to someone." Victor replied with a smile.

"Ah, yes, you two know eachother as well, don't you?" Alibaster turned a bit. "You can all chit-chat later. I want-"

"Sebastian," A cold, young voice cut the man off. "Who are these people and why are they in my house?"

Aurora turned to the door to see…something that she didn't not expect. She planned on seeing Vincent Phantomhive, not this…this child. He was no older than twelve at 5 feet in height with short, dark blue hair and a left, blue eye as his right was covered by his hair while he was in a pair of white pajamas with an angry look on his face.

"My apologies, master," Sebastian gave a short bow to the child. "But we were just talking."

"Master?" Alibaster stared at the child. "You are Ciel Phantomhive?"

"Yes." The child answered.

"Where is Vincent?" Aurora asked, glancing around the hall. "I didn't expect he would leave his child here alone with so few guards; especially this late at night."

"My father is dead," Ciel told her with a foul look.

"Father, hmm? I have to say that your father was more adorable as a child than you are," Aurora told him. "A lot kinder, too."

"We've just met him, Aurora." Victor told the woman. "You can't say that. After all, we are trespassing in his house."

"Who are you?" Ciel demanded. "And how do you know my father?"

Victor cleared his throat as Alibaster took a pose. "May I introduce Sir Alibaster Drakeford."

…

"Who?" Ciel asked.

Alibaster stumbled and pulled an angry face. "I hate this kid already."

"Sebastian, do what you want; just get rid of them" Ciel told his butler as he turned to leave.

Sebastian and Aurora stared at eachother for a moment before glancing to the child. "I'm afraid I can't, Master Phantomhive."

Ciel, Alibaster, and Victor all turned to look at the butler in surprise as Aurora stayed still, a smile on her again face. "What?" Ceil asked.

"I said that I'm afraid that I can't place a hand on this lady here. It would be rude of me."

"Rude of you?" Ceil's anger was rising. "Rude of you? You are-"

"I don't mean rude in a human way," Sebastian cut him off.

The child stared at the woman for a moment before it hit him. "You're one of them, aren't you? Another demon?"

Aurora smiled again. "The children catch on quicker these days, I see. Some of them, anyway."

"Indeed." Sebastian agreed.

"Sebastian, what is the meaning of this? I ordered you to-"

The butler turned and stared at the child. The look on his face made the words stop in his throat. "I made a choice once before and raised a hand to a woman that I cared for and it nearly killed me. I will never make that mistake again." He turned back to Aurora with that teasing smile of his. "Now if her companions wish to attack then I will have no problem with taking care of them."

"I do not enjoy the thought of killing children. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth, no matter how much of an ass you act like." Alibaster sighed, glancing at Ciel. "I suppose that I shall just have to wait, then."

"Wait?" Ciel asked him. "For what?"

"For you to get older, of course. Then I could do everything to you that I want to without feeling remorse!" He grinned like it was a simple thing.

Ciel pulled a horrified face. "What do you want with me!" He cried.

Alibaster's face fell into a glare at the child. "Twenty-five years ago your grandparents were a part of a ring of child-slaves. They helped a man named Dolsen kidnap my mother. She was a child at the time; your age, if not younger. They kidnapped her and that foul bastard…" Alibaster's voice shuddered with rage. "Impregnated my mother. Impregnated her with me!" Ciel's angry look fell to one of sadness as he continued to listen. "When I learned the story I swore to myself that I would make the Phantomhives pay for what they did to my mother! And now I find out that you're the only one still alive? It's not fair. And so, I shall wait. Wait for as long as I have to to get my revenge."

The child closed his eyes and his hand lifted to his chest. "Revenge. I know well of that word." He opened them again. "Drakeford," He took a step forward. "The slavery ring is still on its move."

Aurora's anger flared up. "The Dolsens?" She demanded.

"We're not sure. We're trying to find out through the work from the Queen but we have yet to find anything." Ciel answered her. "Just give me some time. I want my own revenge."

Alibaster stared at the child for a moment before turning to Victor. "Return to the cabin and gather our things. Bring them here."

"Here?" Aurora asked him, raising a brow as Victor gave a short bow and went along his way.

"Listen here, Phantomhive," Alibaster turned back to the child. "I don't care what your own revenge is, though I'm sure I'll find out, but right now all I care about is you not pulling a fast one on me and running off before I can finish my task. You have an extra three living in your house now, Phantomhive, and I expect tip-top service."

Ciel pulled a disbelieving face. "You can't just walk in here and move in. You threatened my life. Do you think that I'm really going to-"

"Phantomhive, I'm not a fool. I know the rules of Aurora and her little friends. You don't have a life to threaten anymore after promising it to a demon." Alibaster told him. "But I will be sure that it is my hand that carries out the death of the last, remaining Phantomhive for my mother, not his." He referred to Sebastian. "So get used to having a second Lord in your house, Phantomhive."

"You simply cannot do that, Ali," Aurora told the man standing beside her. "You can ask, but I doubt that Phantomhive will like the thought of you just barging in. I mean, after all, he has _so _many others living with him already."

Ciel's eyes hardened at her pun. "Listen here, I will not tolerate your words in this rate. If you think you can just come in here-"

"Ha, you may think that you can talk like that to Crow," The redheaded woman smiled. "But I do not put up with foul little brats. Not after having to deal with this one," She jabbed a thumb over at Alibaster. "You have no control over what I do so therefore I can do or say whatever it is I wish."

"Can you not control her?" Ciel asked the older man.

Alibaster shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Auntie Aurora's actions are all her own."

"You have a contract with her, don't you?" Ciel asked. "To help you get your revenge?"

"Yes and no." Alibaster wiggled his right hand a bit. "I don't have a seal like you and Sebastian here have, if that's what you're asking."

"You…you don't?" Ceil and Sebastian both looked at the smiling woman.

"No. Aurora is doing this, as I like to say, completely free of charge." Alibaster smiled at the demon beside him. "So, Phantomhive, breakfast at seven?"

Ciel was staring at Aurora for a moment before sighing and turning to leave. "Yes, that's fine."

"Then away I shall go. Sebastian, show me to a room, would you please?"

"Of course," the other man smiled. "Go out to the hall. I shall be there in a moment." Alibaster shut the dining hall door behind him and left the two demons alone. "Free of charge?"

Aurora closed her eyes. "Of course. He is the remainder of the Drakeford family. I can't just let him leave the line in ruin just because he wants revenge for what happened to his mother. What kind of person would that make me?"

"Person? Do you see yourself as human now?" Sebastian took a step around her before placing his face up beside hers. "Or is there a second game going on here?"

"A second game?" She continued to smile. "Now what would make you think that, Crow?"

"With you, Cat, there's always a second game and it's a game that I do enjoy to play." Sebastian pulled a face, like he was about to say something else but he cleared his throat and shook his head, pulling back from the woman. "Shall I give you your own room as well?"

"Yes," Aurora smiled. "After spending twenty-five years by yourself it sort of sinks into you."

The man smirked before turning and opening the door for her. "Then allow me to escort you."

"A butler indeed." She glanced at him. "Why degrade yourself to the orders of a brat such as this?"

"To answer your question," Sebastian gave her a smirk. "I am simply one hell of a Butler."


	2. Chapter 1

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Alibaster, The Drakefords, Victor, Melony, Kyra are mine.**

_**Chapter One**_

_**Able**_

**"Are you going to forgive him?**

"Forgive who?"

"Sebastian, you twit." Alibaster growled as the three of them sat around the table. "What, do I have to spell it all out?"

Aurora smiled softly before reaching forward for the glass on the table. Tipping the water back she pondered the question for a moment before answering. "Why? Should I hold it against him?"

Victor stared at the woman across from him like she was an idiot. "He beat the hell out of you, Aurora. I was there, remember? You can't just go to acting all 'buddy-buddy' with him! That would be insane!"

She closed her eyes for a moment, reliving that night all those years ago. The feeling of the rain as it dropped on her skin was still so fresh.

_"You know that I don't want to do this, Cat." He told her._

_"Then don't," She pleaded with him. "Please! Don't…don't do this!"_

_Vincent closed his eyes. "You let yourself get too attached. I remember something like this happened between us that last time we worked together. You and I just played with eachother before I 'lost' and let you take the man's soul. I thought that this would be the same but I see that it won't be. You lost yourself in the job, Cat."_

_"Maybe…maybe I did," Aurora gripped her fists with a firm voice. "But…but I refuse to let you do this. They're children. They have so much to live for. So much to experience. Can't you just…just let it go? Just this once?" He opened his eyes and stared at her again. Behind her, Victor, Ramona, and Reymond all peered out of the door to watch. "I will do anything that you want. Just don't…don't do this. Please."_

_Vincent closed his eyes again, biting his lip. She was pleading him. Her voice…her angst ripping through him painfully. He had sworn to himself that he would never let her fall into pain again and yet, here he was, causing her the pain. "I'm sorry, Cat."_

Crow's transformation was always a sight to see. Always.

"I wasn't talking about the fight." Alibaster told them. "I was more referring to the fact that he left you behind for twenty-five years."

Aurora knew that this conversation was going to come up but she didn't wish to speak about it. "Personal issues are to kept just that; personal. If I find the need for you to be involved I shall let you know."

Alibaster gave a small smile. "Of course you will."

"YOU!" the voice from behind made the humans jump as Aurora just tossed a glance over her shoulder. These four had to be the other servants of the Manor coming down for breakfast as well. For some reason Aurora's mind brought back James and the others, the pain tugging at her heart.

"It's all right," Sebastian's voice joined them as he exited the kitchen with Ciel's food; it wouldn't be too much longer before the child would join them as well. "They're of no harm any longer."

"Well, I wouldn't really go that far." Alibaster told them. Aurora closed her eyes to keep herself from rolling them.

There were only four others in the Phantomhive house. Finnian was the gardener of the household. He was a young teen, much like Victor had been when Aurora had first met him; he just talked. Finnian had large, turquoise-green eyes with short, messy strawberry blond hair that he kept pinned back with red bobby pins. He wore a straw hat around his neck with plaid pants and black, knee-high boots as well as a white shirt with red piping around the collar.

Baldaroy was an American in his twenties with dirt blond hair and blue-grey eyes. There was a cigarette hanging from his mouth, goggles hanging around his neck and was dressed in a typical chef outfit with an apron. It didn't take a genius to figure out what his job around the house was.

(Does anyone else get a feel of Cid Highwind from his guy? Especially if you were to change his clothes, lol)

Mey-Rin was the only woman of the group in a blue maid's outfit with brown boots and glasses with hazel eyes. She wore her red hair in pigtails and a lacy frill.

The last of the group was Tanaka. Aurora instantly thought of Alois but as the man sat across from her she found that that was NOT the case. Tanaka, with the grey hair, mustache, and spectacles, was dressed a lot like Sebastian.

Ciel finally joined them for breakfast and Sebastian left for a while, leaving them all in silence for about half an hour; until Finnian's scream grabbed their attention.

Aurora glanced up from the book she was reading to see that a dart was thrown into the back of his head and he was bleeding. "What was that for Master?" He asked Ciel. "What did I do?"

Ciel calmly set his tea on the table again. "Nothing. I don't need to justify my actions."

"Well that's rather rude." Alibaster glared at the child. "You keep acting that way and you'll lose everyone and everything."

"Be quiet, Alibaster." Aurora told the man beside her. "Not your house, remember?"

"Yes, why are you still here, by the way?" Ciel asked the three sitting near him.

"I told you last night, Phantomhive. You're stuck with me until I get my revenge. Don't worry. It'll be like we aren't even here." Alibaster lied with a smile.

Sebastian entered the dining hall at that moment. "There you are! Have you finished weeding the courtyard, Finny? Mey-Rin, have you washed all the bedding? Baldroy, shouldn't you be preparing for tonight's dinner?" All three of them pulled looks. Sebastian then glanced at the elder man that sat across from Aurora. "Tanaka…" He watched as the man drank some tea. "Well I suppose you're all right as you are." The elder man gave a few chuckles. "Now all of you. We have no time for thumb-twiddling this morning so get to work!" The face he pulled made the three servants run out of the room quickly. "Simply hopeless." Sebastian sighed.

"Perhaps I should go and help them?" Victor watched after them but Alibaster shook his head.

"No. Not our place not our job." Sighing, Aurora closed her book and stood up. "And where are you going?" Alibaster asked.

"I'm going to look around. You said we're living here now so I want to see everything."

"Who said you could live here again?" Ciel decided to ask.

"I think I'll join you on that one," Victor stood as well and hurried after the demon, leaving the three in the kitchen to argue things amongst themselves. "This is going to be so much more of a pain in the ass than I had been thinking."

"Everything that involves that man is a pain in the ass," Aurora sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair as she paused for a moment. She gazed up at the portrait at the top of the stairs. The man was, without a doubt, Vincent. He still had his child's face, though it had grown a bit. The woman before him in the chair had to be his wife. Ciel took more after his mother than after his father.

Now that she thought about it, Sebastian had taken a more of a look to Vincent in this form. Why did he do that?

"It's kind of strange, seeing him all grown up." Victor had taken a few steps up the stairs to look at the portrait as well. "So strange. It seemed like only yesterday that the two of us were fighting over your attention when we were kids."

Aurora shook her head with a small laugh as she moved up the stairs herself. "When you were kids?" She teased him.

"Hey," He smiled, following her. "I'm not that bad."

Victor had yet to even look for a family of his own. He told her that no woman had appealed to him, or he hadn't found one yet. Alibaster had kept him all these years. Leaving him after too long just felt so…wrong.

They moved through the house, taking in all the room and the gardens for an hour or so before they finally ran into the others that lived in the Manor. Or rather it's servants. The four of them were lined up in a hallway, taking a verbal beating from Sebastian; again.

"Now how exactly did this happen?" Sebastian demanded.

"I thought things would go faster if I used extra-strength weed killer on the garden." Finny sighed.

"I was trying to reach the tea set we use for guests but I tripped and the cabinet fell!" Mey-Rin cried.

"There was a lot of meat to be cooked for dinner," Baldroy began, his air now bushy like an afro. "And it was going to take a long time so I used me flamethrower."

Aurora placed a soft hand over her mouth as she chuckled while Victor's mouth just dropped open. "You have got to be joking." He said.

"Ahh! We're so sorry! We didn't mean to!" Finny and Mey-Rin cred as Baldroy scratched the back of his head. Aurora

"Calm down, all of you." Sebastian told them. "Perhaps you should take a page out of Tanaka's book and start behaving like-" He froze at a whistle and turned to see that Aurora had grabbed the elder man's cup of tea. She wiggled the cup a bit and Sebastian smiled as the idea hit him. "Everyone, listen closely and do exactly as I say, understand?" He reached over and grabbed the teacup from her hands. "We must be quick about this. We might save this night yet."

The rest of the afternoon was nothing much else. Aurora and her two companions were mostly in a sitting room reading or talking. They had seen what Sebastian had done to the place, the rock garden that dinner was going to be served in, and Alibaster had to say that he was thoroughly impressed with the butler's work.

"The carriage is here," Aurora told him, glancing out the window as Sebastian let the middle-aged man out.

"Good," Alibaster sighed. "I'm starving."

"We won't be eating just yet, My Lord." Victor smiled. "We still have to wait until dinner is served."

"You're no fun." The man told the other.

"I'm not supposed to be. I'm here to keep you inline." Victor then sighed. "I feel so useless. I want to help."

Alibaster folded his hands. "So far it's been horrible. They really do need a helping hand around here. Poor Sebastian is doing it all by himself." He smirked, shooting Aurora a glance. The woman ignored him, burying her nose back into her book. Pleased with himself, the man turned back to the game of chess that he and Victor were playing. It was about an hour later before Sebastian came to them and took them to dinner in the rock garden. Apparently Alibaster and Ciel had had a talk about this event earlier and received the 'a-okay' for the three of them to join them in the dinner, their chairs being set up in the middle of the table.

"On tonight's menu is a dish of finely sliced beef donburi, courtesy of our chef, Baldroy." Sebastian announced.

"Exquisite," Aurora smiled, staring down at the food before her. She found out-of-country products in food very entertaining and the fact that this was raw meat and she was a Tiger was just a plus side.

"A pile of raw beef?" The new man, Damian, asked. "And this is dinner?"

"Yes." Sebastian smiled. "But surely you have heard of it. This food is a traditional Japanese delicacy. A dish offered as a sign of gratitude to someone who has accomplished important work. That is the definition of donburi." Alibaster watched the poses that the butler took before snorting. "This is a token from our master to show his gratitude for all your hard work. He wanted you to know that it is much appreciated."

"Excellent!" Damian smiled. "What an inspired idea! The legendary Phantomhive hospitality in action!"

"The vintage we are pouring tonight," Sebastian began but Aurora rolled out of his words, getting lost in her thoughts as the raw meat touched her lips. It took her restrain to keep from pouncing on it since she hadn't eaten since early that morning. She was having to get herself used to human food again every now and then but it was not something she was enjoying.

After the tablecloth had been removed, Aurora lifted her head again to watch Sebastian reply and Ciel's comment of him as his servant. "You see, I am simply one hell of a butler."

"And that is where I excuse myself," Aurora stood up. "My apologies but I have some things to get to."

"Here, I shall walk you in." Sebastian told her with a grin.

Aurora gave a small smile as she followed the other demon into the manor. The moment the door was shut she glanced over her shoulder and out the window to the four still at the table. "So, what do you think?"

"The man thinks we're foolish." Sebastian informed her. "We know all about him selling off the factory. Aurora," He turned to the woman. "Can I ask for your help in something?"

She raised a brow. "Something like what?"

**"My apologies, sir,"** Aurora softly sighed. "I am afraid that I do not know this manor at all. You see, I only arrived last night. I thought that I knew the way to the parlor but it seems that I do not."

"It is all right," Damien told her. "I assure you. We'll find our way a-" His voice stopped there as he stared straight down the hall. Aurora had to place a hand over her mouth at the sight of the painting that was being carried through. She didn't know what the man could see but it was freaking him the hell out to where he turned and began to run away.

"Wait, don't-" Her voice was cut off by thuds and cries. As the man fell down the stairs, Aurora watched Sebastian seem to materialize out of nowhere.

"Surely you're not leaving the manor yet, sir," He smiled at the man on the ground. "We haven't given you the full Phantomhive treatment yet. We still haven't served dessert. And of course you are capable of retrieving the Drakeford treatment as well now, aren't you?" The man began to crawl away from them and Sebastian walked after him. Aurora followed, interested on just what the Crow had planned for this unfortunate man. "You lost a leg, remember? You can only go a limited number of spaces so why not relax and make yourself at home?" Sebastian smiled.

Aurora paused for a moment, trying to convince herself not to even think about what the hell Sebastian was talking about. Lost a leg? Something told her that this had something to do with the child upstairs.

Moving again, the woman and Sebastian found themselves before a stove in the kitchen, staring in at Damien as the fires lit up.

"What an impatient guest we have," Sebastian sighed. "You couldn't even restrain yourself until dessert was out of the oven."

"Really? Locking yourself into a stove?" Aurora shook her head. "Perhaps I was wrong after all. Not all men from Italy are smart."

"The-the oven?" Damian began to pound on the door. "Open up! Please!"

Sebastian stood up with a frown. "Perhaps the Italians aren't familiarized with our customs. There's plum pudding."

"Mincemeat pie." Aurora told him.

He grinned at her. "Tartlets."

"Bujongs."

"There are many traditional desserts in England that make use of meat. I find them all quite tasty."

Aurora fought a grin with herself about twenty minutes later as she stood in the main hall, watching from the window as the man limped away in fear down the road in the dark. That was entertaining to partake in but that's not what she was intent on seeing. She wanted to see just how much stronger Sebastian had become. She may have grown herself but she was sure that the Crow had as well.

"It appears that we will be needing to hang new wallpaper as well." Sebastian sighed. He then stepped into the middle of the hall and snapped his fingers, as if erasing something from his mind. "The new head of the Phantomhive estate. Heh." He then turned to Aurora. "Just how long is Alibaster planning on staying here?"

She turned from the window and closed her eyes. "For as long as he wants. He's like his father; he won't stop until he gets what he wants. It took Ramona nearly three years to agree to marry her husband all those years ago." She walked past the man, heading for the stairs to retire to the bath and her book.

"Then I suppose that you could call us partners again." He asked her.

Aurora froze and turned to glare at the demon behind her. "No," She told him. "Not partners. I don't plan on making that mistake again."

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	3. Update

_**My apologies on their not being chapters submitted in the last week or so. My Grandfather is in the hospital so I have not been writing as of now. I'm not leaving but just give me a few more days before I can give you guys some more chapters. I'm really sorry about this but You are all just going to have to wait. It won't be long before I'm back and I hope that you guys can wait just a little longer :)**_


	4. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two_**

**_Strongest_**

**So far everything was…normal. **Well, as normal as it could be, considering the circumstances. Victor had taken duties in the house, unable to stand it anymore, and it seemed that he and Sebastian were the only ones that were keeping the house together. Sebastian never said it but it took a lot of stress off his back now that Victor was helping. Aurora gave in a hand here or there, but only when Alibaster wasn't looking. He didn't seem to like her doing physical labor too much.

Aurora turned at the sound of crashing and sighed. Finny, without a doubt. As the shouting continued behind them, Aurora turned back to the game before her that Alibaster was taking part in. There were several other people there, including a woman all in red.

"Quite the commotion going on out there." The man with glasses commented. "Seems you're experiencing a rat problem as well."

"Aurora could go handle them for you," Alibaster decided to grin as he took his shot. "She's quite good with catching rats." He shot Ciel a look; the three of them knew what he was implying and Ciel tried his hardest not to make a reply.

"Speaking of which, how long do you plan on letting the vermin run wild?" the fat man eating asked. "Someone should really take care of them."

"And someone will," Aurora turned to the Chinese man sitting on the couch with a woman hanging onto his neck; Lau. "We're just waiting for the opportune moment."

"Indeed," Madam Red smiled. "He prefers to settle things with one blow. Will you pass on this turn too, Lord Phantomhive?"

"I'll pass. It's my policy not to shoot if I know that I'll miss." The young boy answered her.

"It's all very well, but will you handle the problem?"

"Anytime you like," Ciel answered. "The rats will soon come looking for their forbidden cheese and I hold the key to the storehouse."

Aurora watched as the man in white knocked the white ball in the hole.

"Even so, finding the nest of the vermin and destroying it seems to be a tedious task. You should concentrate in the paying of a suitable reward."  
"You're a vulture." The man in glasses growled.

"Call him what you want," Alibaster butted in, taking his next turn. "But in the end it doesn't matter. We're all the same, whether or not you wish to believe it."

Ciel gave a snicker before clearing his throat.

"What next, Lord Phantomhive?"

"It's time to put an end to this worthless game, don't you think?" Ciel asked as he stood up and walked to the table. "How soon can you secure the payment?"

"Tonight. I'll have it by then."

"then I'll send a carriage for you later." He sat on the table and took aim. "We can even prepare some light entertainment for you. Sound good?"

"You've passed your ball twice and now you're after it in one go?" the eating man asked, paying attention to the game.

"Naturally." The boy answered.

"Careful. You're greed will undo you."

Ciel grinned and shot the ball, knocking the rest of them all in the holes and finishing the game. "Am I undone?"

Aurora watched as all the carriages drove off, just leaving them, Madam Red, and Lau with them in the sitting room. Sebastian and Victor were serving them tea. There was another Butler there, Madam Red's, who was staring at Sebastian in adoration. Aurora narrowed her eyes when the woman in Red scolded him and turned to face her, though she stayed silent. This woman was Ciel's aunt. The sister of the woman that had married Vincent.

Aurora's eyes then widened as Madam Red began to rub her hand over Sebastian and she went to take a step forward but caught herself, turning back to the window, biting her lower lip. Alibaster watched her in amusement for a moment before closing his eyes. Madam Red and Lau already knew that the three of them were staying with Ciel but the true reasons were never given.

"So, do you believe the drug trafficker was one of your guests today?" Lau asked as he stood up.

"Perhaps."

"Why not leave the extermination to Lau?" Red asked. "A rat knows best where a rat's nest is, doesn't he?"

"I am but a tamed guinea pig to my Head Lord," Lau placed a hand on Ciel's head and bent down. "If the Earl instructs me not to attack I'm bound to do nothing."

"Watch it! You best keep your dirty paws off my nephew!"

Aurora sighed and tried to ignore the rest of the conversation. This was starting to annoy her. If Red was anything like her sister then how in the hell did Vincent put up with her?

At that moment, she heard it. The sound of a rifle being cocked. Straightening her back, she squinted her eyes to get a better look outside.

"Aurora," She turned at Alibaster's voice. "What is it?"

"We have guests," She grinned, turning back to the window. The gunshot then went off and they both turned to the hall and Lau and Madam Red continued to fight. They found Sebastian in the hall, a pie in hand and Mey-Rin laying on top on him with glass and a pot shattered across the floor.

"Mey-Rin, the letter please." The butler said.

"Oh, right." The blushing maid sat up and handed it to him. He read it.

"Ciel is gone." Sebastian told them. "Kidnapped."

Alibaster moved over and grabbed the note. "_If you want to return your master safely, come to Nova Garden Bethmal Green as soon as possible."_

"Goodness, what a dreadfully written letter." Sebastian sighed.

"Sebastian," Finny, Victor, and Baldaroy joined them, Lau and Madam Red right behind.

"Sorry about the noise," Sebastian apologized. "I assure you nothing's wrong. Please don't concern yourself."

"Nothing," Red looked at the window. "Are you sure?"

"Everyone, I have business to attend too." Sebastian held the pie to Baldaroy. "Would you mind cleaning this up?"

"What do you think?" Victor asked as the Butler walked away. Alibaster handed him the note and he read it silently. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Why do anything?" Aurora asked.

"Go help him save the child." Alibaster told her. "Only I will end the Phantomhive Race."

"Really," the woman turned down the hall and followed the other demon.

"And Aurora," Alibaster called after her. "Try not to overdo it."

"I'll try."

"So, working together again?" Sebastian grinned as they exited the manor

"Just this once." She replied before taking off down the road. It was said before that Sebastian was stronger but Aurora was faster but something was wrong here.

"Out of shape, Cat?" He smiled as he kept pace with her.

~It seems so~ "Ha," She snorted. "I've just gotta make sure that you don't fall behind, Crow. We both know that you'll throw a fit if you do so."

"Heh."

They didn't have to go too far before catching up to the two men that were in the car. The look of horror on the man's face made Aurora grin as she jumped into the back seat. They both screamed and Sebastian jumped on the hood of the car. The car swerved and the butt-end now hung off the end of the cliff, Sebastian sitting on the hood of it being the only things keeping it from falling.

Aurora shared a glance with the driver as he stared at her. She grinned. "You didn't think that you could attack and just run, did you?"

"How…how did you-"

She placed a finger to her lips and winked. "It's a secret."

Smiling to himself, Sebastian picked up the phone from the passenger. "Hello…Pardon me, but I represent the Phantomhive estate. I was wondering if my master might be available. Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?"

"Maybe you scared him off." Aurora suggested as she walked over the two passengers, over the windshield, and across the hood to step back on the ground. The car wobbled a little bit but stayed in place since Sebastian still sat there.

Sebastian smirked. "Very good, young master. We shall come to get you momentarily." He snapped the phone line and smiled at the men before him. "Thank you for the use of your field telephone. And now there are a few things that I would like to ask you about if that's all right." The two men were still frozen in fear or disbelief; maybe both. "First, I'd like to know who you work for."

"Is it the one with the glasses? Or the one with the scar?" Aurora asked.

"Hurry up, now. I'm not exactly what you'd call a patient man." Sebastian decided to say. "And she's worse than I am. You do recall what happens to humpty dumpty, don't you?"

"Our employer's name is Azzurro Vanel," The man in the hat told him. "He has a hideout up in the city. It's on the east end."

"The one with the scar." Aurora sighed. Sebastian smirked and stood up.

"We just work for him!"

"But of course, I understand." The butler nodded as Aurora turned from the car. "I am very sorry to have interrupted your work, gentlemen. I'll let you go now. Have a safe trip." He jumped from the hood of the car, leaving the men to scream as they fell to their deaths.

"Was that truly necessary?" Aurora asked him.

"They shot me, Cat. What should I do, just let them go?"

"Hmm, I suppose not." She turned to leave. "To the East, hmm?" ~That's where Drakeford's Manor was all those years ago…~

Sebastian looked at his pocket watch. "Oh dear. Look how late it's gotten. If I don't move quickly we shall never have dinner ready in time."

"You take this butler thing very serious," She told the man beside her as they hurried off again.

"Of course. I am simply-"

"'One hell of a butler', yeah, yeah, I know." She sighed, shaking her head.

**"My, My,"** Sebastian smiled as the guards didn't seem to notice them as they gazed up at the mansion. "Splendid home."

"Hey, who the hell's these guys?" One demanded.

"Ah, my apologies." Sebastian smiled and gave a short bow. Aurora crossed her arms and just watched. "You see, I represent the Phantomhive household, as she represents the Drakeford."

"You don't have to keep introducing yourself, you know. It's not like they're going to be around to know your name for too much longer, Vincent."

Sebastian looked at the woman for a moment at the name she had called him before smiling as he turned to take care of the enemy. "Of course not, Aurora." It didn't take too long at all. It seemed that the humans were nowhere near as strong, or smart, as they were 25 years ago.

"Pardon me," Sebastian said as Aurora moved towards the front doors. "But we're in a bit of a hurry." He pulled out his watch again. "5:34."

Aurora was going to tell him to calm down but stayed silent as she led the way through the manor. "Nice dining hall," She grinned a short while later. "Pity little Phantomhive doesn't have one like this." Gunshots then went off from the balcony and Sebastian placed himself in front of the woman, using his silver tray as a shield for the both of them. "Ready?"

"Of course."

Both of them took off towards the table. Sebastian tossed his tray, knocking the men out as the woman slid under the table, getting ready to zoom out at any others as Sebastian's footsteps could be heard above her. With her cat-like skills she hurried from beneath the table and jumped up to the balcony, taking care of the ones on the right with her hands as Sebastian took care of the others with his…plates, knives, and forks.

"Good Lord," Aurora shook her head. "What is wrong with you?"

"Now, now," Sebastian smiled. "If I couldn't do this much at least what kind of butler would I be?"

"A normal one?" She offered.

The man gave off a smile as he continued to fly through the air. Between the two of them they were done faster than the idiots outside and Aurora dropped from the balcony and titled her head back to look at her companion.

"Oh dear," Sebastian sighed as he hung from the chandelier. "That took longer than I thought."

"Don't fret," Aurora told him as he dropped down beside her. "Your pet will be fine."

"It's already 5:43," Sebastian told her.

"Then stop crying about it," She moved to the end of the hall. "And let's get a move on."

Moving past her, Sebastian pushed the doors open. There was that scarred man again, holding a gun in his quivering hands. Sebastian moved forward into the room and gave a bow. "I have come to retrieve my master." He referred to the boy laying on the ground behind him.

"Is this a joke?" Azzurro demanded. "I was expecting a giant and instead I get a dandy in a tail coat and a woman. Who are you, anyway? There's no way that you're just a butler and a maid."

"No sir," Sebastian gave a small smile. "You see, I am simply one hell of a butler. I promise."

"Hmph," Aurora crossed her arms. "I am not a maid and neither do I work for the brat behind you. I'm here on…different circumstances."

Azzurro gave a laugh. "Yeah, sure. It does not matter anyway. I have no intention of fighting you. Not yet." He grabbed Ciel and began to use him as a shield, holding the gun to his head. Both of them frowned. "But you better have what I ask for!"

"Yes I do," Sebastian reached into his coat and pulled out a large. Bronze key. "It's right here."

Aurora then watched as butler from the wall rained down on Sebastian and the scarred man pointed the gun at her. She feigned a look of shock as the men began to move around and talk. She tried her hardest to look scared but it just didn't work as the three gunmen began to move around her, making catcalls.

"How older are you, sweetie? You can't be that old and you don't look like you're in your teens, either."

"Hey, what do you think we should do with her, now that her little friend is dead?"

"Her? Hah! Too old for me. Now, if she had a little sister-"

Ciel watched, frightened just a bit, as Aurora's eyes began to glow a dark red as she glared at the three men before her. "Do you all have a thing for children or something?" Azzurro looked at Aurora as her face darkened. "All you sick, pathetic freaks in this world just really know how to piss me off!"

Ciel watched, more frightened than before. He had seen Sebastian fight before but Aurora…she seemed to be something else entirely as she beat the hell out of the three men. Sebastian normally tried to keep himself as clean as possible but Aurora…she let the blood fly everywhere, not caring how hard she hit or if she was splattered with it. Why was she so-

Ciel remembered what he had been told about Alibaster's mother. Aurora's comments connected and Ciel understood why she was furious. He closed his eyes.

Aurora continued to pound the man until a hand grabbed her's, halting her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Sebastian was standing again. She gave a silent sigh and pulled back from the trio of bodies on the floor.

"It seems that I wasn't needed after all," Sebastian sighed as he stood up behind the redheaded woman.

Aurora stayed silent, wiping the blood off of her face.

"How did you do that?" Azzurro demanded. "And how are you still alive?!" He was ignored though as Sebastian stepped forward.

"Master, how unfortunate. They don't seem to have taken very good care of you. You look like a helpless little child, all bound up like that."

"I'll leave this one to you." Aurora told Sebastian as she turned from the scene.

He nodded. "Master, you know what you have to do. Now just say the words."

Aurora smiled at Sebastian's words. She did miss the feel of the power that would rush through her when ordered like that by her 'master'. It was a…hard feeling to explain.

"I must say the game wasn't as much fun this time, Sebastian." Ciel frowned as he was picked up and Azzurro twisted on the ground in pain. Ciel was set down in a chair by the wall, trying to ignore the dead bodies around him.

"No, wait, come back!" Azzurro cried. "Both of you! Work for me! Be my bodyguard and I will pay you ten times what he does! Twenty times! You can have all the liquor and men and women you want, too!" Sebastian ignored him as he unstrapped Ciel and Aurora sighed again.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Vanel," Sebastian told him as he stood again. "It's an attractive offer but I have no need in such materialistic things when all I need is already here," He gave Aurora a look but she turned her head, ignoring it still. "You see, I am simply one hell of a butler."

~That line again?~ She shook her head. ~He must adore it so.~ She watched as the feather shadows began to fall around the room.

"As long as my master holds the contract, I am his loyal servant." He pulled his left glove off with his teeth. "A wish. A sacrifice. And this," He held up that violet symbol on his hand. "All of these things keep me bound to Lord Phantomhive until the day I swallow his soul."

"Unfortunantly for you," Ciel decided to join in. "This game is over."

The walk back to the Phantomhive Manor was silent between the two demons as Ciel had fallen asleep in Sebastian's arms. Aurora had done cleaned herself up so not to cause panic at the sight of all the blood later but her mind was still fuming at the thought of what those men had asked. Perhaps she had overreacted but it still infuriated her. Those monsters…

"You're awake, master?" Aurora glanced at the child Sebastian was holding before watching as Finny and the others hurried out to greet them. She ignored them and moved right to Alibaster and Victor.

"Good job, Aurora," Victor grinned.

"Was it fun?" Alibaster asked her.

"If you call mutilating humans into sheer pieces of what they were when they first arrived on this planet fun, then yes." She grinned.

Victor shuddered and Alibaster laughed. "They must have pissed you off dearly." The man sighed. "I'm glad you're safe, Auntie."

"Same here," Victor joined.

Aurora nodded with a smile. She appreciated having the two of them. They were her family, whether or not they were human and she hadn't seen them in 25 years. They were still hers."

"Would you like something to eat?" Victor asked the woman.

"Speaking of which," Alibaster cut her off before she could reply and took a step forward to the other demon. "Sebastian, how can you call yourself a butler? Hang your head in shame." Alibaster decided to grin.

"What? But why?" Finny asked in confusion.

Alibaster held up a finger and closed one eyes with a smile. "Dinner is not ready."

Aurora blinked as Sebastian knelt to the ground, asking for an apology. She stared at them all for a moment before turning and walking to the manor. "I need a drink."


	5. Chapter 3

**_My apologies on it taking so long to update! Never again, I promise!_**

**_Chapter Three_**

**_Omnipotent_**

**The screaming running down the halls made Aurora sigh again. **She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, to be honest. She had thought that the servants working in the Drakeford house had been bad when she first started but at least they did their jobs right; these guys were just unbelievable. She glanced up from the card game in time to see Grell, Madame Red's butler, come flying into the room on a cart. He rammed right into Finny.

"Ouch, she-mama." Alibaster winced before turning back to the game. Victor winced himself before playing down his hand. "Two pair; Jacks VS Kings."

Aurora watched as Finny danced around due to the hot tea and Grell threw a fit, trying to wipe it off and ended up pulling the entire tablecloth down with him.

"Four of a kind," Alibaster grinned. "Queens."

"Dammit." Victor hissed.

"I believe I win." The man said happily.

"Why he agreed to let Sebastian train him I'll never know." Victor sighed.

"I don't care." Alibaster shrugged.

Aurora set her cards down. "Four of a Kind. Aces." Victor gave a laugh as Alibaster's mouth fell open. "I win again."

"It's just not fair. It's not fair!" The young man cried. "I'm not supposed to be the one that goes into town for shopping! You two are supposed to do that, dammit!" He cried as Grell decided to announce he was going to kill himself for the umpteenth time today and Sebastian put a stop to that.

"Too bad. You're the one that made the bet, Alibaster." Aurora took a sip of her tea.

"But, but Auntie!" He pulled out big eyes on her. "I don't want to go out there alone."

"Then go with Ciel and Sebastian when they go into town themselves." She told him.

Alibaster frowned as Victor chuckled. "You're even meaner than I remember."

"Get used to it, my friend." Victor told his Lord. "Wait till you see her first hand in…well, you get my point." He had remembered that Finny and the others were still here; those three knew nothing about what Aurora and Sebastian were.

Aurora watched as Sebastian made some more tea before closing her eyes again. She was growing tired of all of this quickly but she was going to force herself to put up with it until Alibaster's task was finished with.

Everyone in the house moved off, leaving Alibaster and Victor with Aurora in the main room. Victor and Alibaster played some chess by the window and Aurora read a newspaper not too far away from them. The newspaper talked about another prostitute being murdered. Apparently three had been slain over the last few weeks. It interested her for a little while, but only until a knock on the front door made her stand up. Opening the door, she found a young girl standing there in a yellow dress with long blonde hair and green eyes. She looked surprised to see Aurora but then smiled.

"Hi! My name's Elizabeth Midford! Is Ciel home?"

Aurora shook her head. "No, Ciel stepped out to town for a moment. He should be back soon, though. Does he know you're coming?"

"No," Elizabeth shook her head with a smile. "It's a surprise."

"Who is it, Aurora?" Alibaster called.

"A little girl here to see Ciel."

"Then let her in. Ciel and Sebastian will be home soon. It'll be a nice little surprise for the brat."

Aurora stood back and let the child in. As she returned to her seat to pick up the newspaper again, she found that the child had done run off to do something. The trio sitting there didn't really mind and they weren't messed with as Elizabeth decided to decorate the home they now resided in. Victor had gone to make a comment but Alibaster told him to stay out of Ciel's affairs just as the front door opened, revealing the said boy and his butler.

"What happened to my mansion?" Ciel demanded.

Aurora didn't even lift her head from her newspaper. "Your girlfriend showed up." She told him.

"Master Phantomhive!" The side door burst open and the trio ran into the room. Finny now wore bunny ears, Baldaroy was dressed like a maid, Tanaka with a wig and Mey-Rin was left alone.

"What on earth is going on here?" Sebastian demanded. "And why are you all dressed like lunatics and they aren't?" He pointed at Aurora, Victor, and Alibaster.

"Because they let her in the mansion!" Baldaroy answered him. "She's crazy?!"

"Who's crazy?"

They heard a strange noise from the other room and they ran off to look; the trio stayed at the table, ignoring them as they knew it was Grell trying to kill himself again. They then heard Elizabeth calling Ciel's name.

"Such a lively group, don't you think?" Victor smiled.

"Too lively." Alibaster frowned.

Aurora glanced down at the cup of tea in front of her. "They remind me of James and the others."

Alibaster looked at her in confusion but at the look on Victor's face he understood what she meant; she was referring to the ones that worked for his mother 25 years ago before they were killed by that foul, old man, Dolsen. He had heard so many stories about them from his mother. He wished that he could have met them all.

"A ball?!" Ciel's voice reached them. "No!" Aurora could hear all that was going on and the very thought of a ball brought a small smile to her face. The last ball she had gone to was on New Year's Eve all those years ago…That was the first time that she and Sebastian had ever…A shiver ran down her back at the memory. She had sworn that Crow was going to be the only one to ever do that to her and she was going to keep to that promise, whether or not she and Crow did it together again.

"Aurora, come with me." Alibaster ordered as he stood to his feet. "We need to talk to Phantomhive."

The woman nodded and moved after him silently. The child and Sebastian were in his office again, the boy looking worn out.

"Having fun with your girlfriend there, Ciel?" Alibaster teased as he sat down across the desk. "I wonder what her plans were when she started to decorate the place but now I see what she was thinking."

"Why didn't you try to stop her?" Ciel cried.

"I told them not to," Alibaster grinned. "I didn't want to ruin her surprise for you now, would I?" The child dropped his head on the desk in exhaustion. Apparently, Elizabeth did things like this often. "You could just kick her out, you know," Alibaster told the child as he sat there.

"No, I can't do that." The boy shook his head.

"The wisest course of action would be to go along with her plan." Sebastian offered as he served them both. Aurora stood off to the side, staring out the windows. "I don't think she's going to listen to reason."

"Can't you just give her some tea or something and get her out of here?" Ciel asked. "I don't have time for a stupid ball."

"Don't worry," Aurora began. "She will grow up with age, if someone treats her right."

"Or puts her in her place now." Alibaster offered again.

"Lady Elizabeth would like a dance," Sebastian told him. "You cannot refuse her." Ciel pulled a face.

Alibaster caught on very quickly. "You don't know how to dance, do you?"

"It's not like you know, either!" the child growled.

"Of course I don't," Alibaster grinned. "But the only woman that I will ever dance with in my life knows how to already, don't you, Aurora?"

"And who says that I would dance with you?" The woman smiled.

"Oh, you're so mean today, Auntie." Alibaster waved a hand at her.

"That explains why you're such a wallflower at social engagements." Sebastian sighed.

"I have far too much work. I don't have any time to waste on dancing." Ciel replied.

"With all due respect sir," Sebastian leaned in closer to him with a piece of Orchid Fruit Cake in his hand. "Dancing is a necessary skill that people in your position should possess." Alibaster listened with a small smile as the butler continued on with the child and Ciel called in for a private tutor.

"Why not just use Aurora?" Alibaster offered the woman up. She turned from the window and glared at him. "She could teach you to dance. All you have to do is pay me for it."

"Has Sebastian do it, not me." She waved a hand to shoo the idea of her teaching Ciel away. "I haven't danced in years."

"True," Alibaster nodded. "But one never forgets; especially not you."

Ciel looked at the woman. "Would you?" He then glanced away, embarrassed. "I'd rather much learn from a woman than my butler."

Aurora opened her mouth to refuse but then sighed. Pulling the child out of the chair, she placed his hands in the right positions on her back and in her hand. "Now listen and listen closely for I am only doing this once."

**"What in the hell happened to you guys?"**

Alibaster stared at Ciel's servants. Grell was now in a huge, white dress. Finny looked like a neko, Tanaka wore a kimono, and Baldaroy were a pick sailor suit and a long, orange wig. Mey-Rin was relived and backed away from Elizabeth as they joined them all, Ciel now dressed in his new outfit. The child in the red dress jumped on Ciel with a squeal as Aurora walked right past them and took a place beside Victor. He was the only one, beside Mey-Rin, that hadn't been dressed up.

"Why didn't she dress you up?"

"She couldn't catch me." Victor answered her.

"Where did you hide?"

"In the laundry room, of course."

Alibaster watched as Elizabeth cried over Ciel not wearing a ring that she had picked out for him and then they argued over the one that he was now wearing. "Such children," He shook his head. He went to go off to his room when Ciel began to demanded for his ring back and Elizabeth smashed it against the ground. Ciel moved forward to hit the girl but Sebastian grabbed his hand with a stone-like face.

"Think about what you're doing, Phantomhive." Alibaster began. "Is it truly worth it?"

worth it?"

Aurora turned from the scene. It was making her sick. "Still not a man, though he claims to be." She shook her head. "Alibaster, Victor, I'm going into town."

"Yeah, I think that I'll join you." Victor nodded as Ciel threw his broken ring out of the window. "I'm not that big of a fan in dancing myself."

Alibaster sighed as Sebastian began to play the violin and Grell began to sing with him. "Oh, I'm so out of here. These guys are totally ridiculous!"

_**I'm not quite a fan of this episode so hopefully you'll stick around for the next!**_


	6. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four_**

**_Capricious_**

**"I hate this." **Ciel frowned. "There are too many people in London."

"Then you're going to hate the entire world in the next hundred years," Alibaster grinned as they walked up the steps to a 'get-away house' as Sebastian called it. Ciel had gotten some kind of orders from the Queen and had decided to get away from the others at the mansion. Alibaster dragged Aurora and Victor after them; Ciel didn't say anything so it appeared that he didn't really mind the three of them.

"There is no helping it, my Lord," Sebastian agreed with Alibaster as they walked up the stairs. "It is-"

"Aurora." The woman turned to Victor. He had paused on the stairs, leaving the three others to walk on ahead of them.

"What is it?"

"There's someone else here." She gave him a smile. He pulled a face. "You knew, didn't you? What am I thinking? Of course you knew. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, considering who it is, it'll be fun." She followed after the others, Victor behind her with a smile.

"Madam Red? Lau? Why are you here?" Ciel's voice demanded. Victor couldn't help but smile, now realizing the meaning behind Aurora's words.

Alibaster sighed and looked at her. "Next time, give me a heads up, will you? I'd like to know that I'm walking in on a booby trap."

She grinned. "Can't make any promises."

They all took places around the room and Sebastian brought some tea and cakes to serve them.

"He struck again," Ciel began. "Another prostitute was brutally murdered in White Chapel. These killings are far from normal. The level of violence they presume are unprecedented."

"The most recent victim," Sebastian took over. "Was Mary Anne Nichols. It appears that a special type of blade was used on her."

Aurora found herself staring at Grell for a moment as he stood behind Madam Red silently. She never really noticed it before but…there was something odd about him, fists clenched for some reason. A faint smell of blood. Perhaps the fool had cut himself. She settled with that and turned back to the conversation, the strange feeling still in her stomach.

"Jack the Ripper?" Alibaster gave a laugh as he took a bite of a muffin. "That's the best that they could come up with?"

"I believe it to be a frightening name." Lau replied softly.

"That's why I'm here earlier than expected." Ciel answered him. "I hurried into town to look at the situation myself."

Lau set his tea down and stood up. "But are you sure you'll be brave enough to stomach the crime scene? The sight of the dismembered body will certainly be horrific. And one can only imagine the stench." He moved to Ciel's chair. "Blood and gore everywhere. Surely, it would be more than enough to drive some men mad." He reached forward and pinched his cheek. "Are you prepared to see such a thing? You're just a young boy, after all."

"I am head of the Phantomhives and in service to my Queen," Ciel replied. "Don't ask foolish questions."

"Yeah, it's easy to say that when you have a bird that's going to keep you alive no matter what," Alibaster snickered under his breath. Aurora and Sebastian shot him both a look and he smirked at them. Sebastian stayed silent as a grin spread across the woman's face.

The group ended up taking a trip into the city, taking the time to head for the recent crime scene.

"Sebastian, we need to talk."

Sebastian turned to Victor. The man held a worried look on his face as he tried to keep the tone of his voice down so no one else could hear. "About what?"

"About Aurora."

"Perhaps later," The butler replied as he and Ciel moved forward in the crowd. They were at the crime scene now. Alibaster gave a frown and moved forward to join them.

"Aren't you going with him?" Madam Red looked at Aurora.

The woman shoved her hands into her pockets. "No. Should I? Alibaster's old enough to take care of himself." She watched for a moment and then tilted her head as they walked back to them. "Well, that was short."

"Couldn't handle the scene, as I said." Lau told her.

"So it would seem."

"Now what, dear?" Madam Red asked.

"Now we go see someone who might be useful." The boy replied.

Lau looked shocked. "My Lord, you mean…"

"Yes, indeed." Ciel answered.

At the sight of the building Ciel had led them too, a huge smile broke across Aurora's face. Sebastian held one too, knowing exactly what for.

"Aurora?" Alibaster raised a brow. "Are you all right?"

Ignoring him, she went to pull the door open but it pushed out instead, revealing a woman calling over her shoulder.

"All right, All right, I'll be right back! When I get back there better be some-" She froze when she had turned and faced the group waiting outside. Her eyes were wide as she and Aurora stood in front of the other. "Cat?"

"Hello, Snake."

Alibaster raised a brow. "You know her?"

"I should say so." Sebastian smiled. "They are sisters, after all, right Aurora?"

"Indeed." She didn't move her eyes from her sister. "It's been a long time, Melony."

The woman's hair was an extremely dark red with a pair of silver/green eyes. She was dressed in a pair of black leather pants, boots, and a long jacket that was buttoned up over her torso. Earrings were in her ears as well, accompanied by a few bracelets. There was one scar that Aurora knew was there but couldn't see. It was on the back of the woman's neck. After all, she was the one that put it there.

"Yes it has," Melony frowned and put her hands on her hips. "25 years! You got anything to say for yourself?"

"25 years?" Madam Red looked at Aurora in surprise. "There's no way possible! How old are you?"

Aurora gave her a smile. "That's a secret." Turning back to her sister, she tilted her head. "Let's go have a talk."

Leading the way inside, Melony looked at one of the coffins. "Dear, we have a few visitors. It's Cat and Crow."

"Is it really?" The coffin she was talking to slid open, revealing a man standing inside. "It has been too long, Cat!"

Aurora nodded her head. "Indeed it has. It's good to see you again as well, Undertaker."

The man held long silver hair with a few braids here and there which seemed to want to hide the eyes that Aurora remembered so well. He was dressed in all black: an incredibly long, top hat and a suit with a long jacket. The Jacket was open, revealing a long, grey scarf across his chest and knotted at his hips. His fingernails were long and black with a noticeable scar across his face, his neck, and his left pinky finger with several earrings in his ears.

"Do me a favor," She told the man. "Look after Alibaster and Victor for me, would you? The two of them do like to get into trouble."

Undertaker's face broke out into a large grin as Aurora followed Melony into a back room. "Of course, my lady."

"Aurora!" Alibaster's panicked voice cried. "Don't leave me-" He was cut off as the door shut.

The moment the door shut, Aurora moved her head to the side, dodging the hit her sister aimed on her. "Come now, Melony. You don't honestly think that you can still beat me."

"Shut up!" Melony grunted. She kept trying to hit her sister but missed every time. "Twenty-five years without anything from you? You can't do that to me, Cat! I was worried!"

"Worried?"

"Of course! When Ramona told me that she told you to leave, I didn't know where you had gone! I looked for you but I could never find you! Putting me through that stress isn't fair!"

"Well, life's not fair, is it?" Aurora asked her, taking a seat on the desk.

Melony glared at her sister before giving a sigh and sitting down in the chair across from her. "No, you're not." She shook her head. "Where have you been? What have you been doing?"

The time they spent at the Undertaker's was short, but aurora told her sister everything that had happened over the last twenty years; not that there was a lot. Melony laughed at her sister for taking up a job with Crow again and offered to help her kill him next time she tried. Melony was such a sweet sister. Aurora lost herself of the information traveling around in the carriage, thinking about all that her sister had told her, until Sebastian decided to jump out and run off.

"He knows that we're moving, right?" Madam Red demanded.

"Sebastian will take care of it for now," Ciel told them. "We can head home and have a cup of tea while we wait."

"Don't you want to join him, Aurora?" Alibaster asked the woman sitting beside him.

"No, not really." She replied.

"Damn," The lord replied. "You must be really pissed at him still."

"Of course she is," Victor told him. "We both still are."

When they arrived home and Lau opened the door, they all found Sebastian standing there, waiting on them. Aurora was still lost in her own little world as she sat in the drawing room while the others all talked about their future events on this case.

"So, shall we get ready for the party?" Alibaster grinned.

Aurora looked over at the others in the room, surprise on her face. "Party? What party?"

**_~I'm never gonna dance again_**

**_These guilty feet have got no rhythm_**

**_And though it's easy to pretend_**

**_I know you're not a fool~_**

**"I hate this dress." **Aurora told herself.

"Why? It's my favorite." Sebastian whispered into her ear.

Aurora crossed her arms. "And that's the reason I despise it…but at the same time its…"

"Face it, Cat," He had gone to her other ear. "You still love me as much as I love you."

The dress Aurora wore was the red silk that she had worn nearly forty years ago during the New Year's Eve Ball. This was the dress that Sebastian had ripped to shreds, trying to remove it from her as they sneaked into one of the back rooms of the manor to have their steamy night of passion. It took her forever to fix it to where it looked like it once did. After all, this was the only dress she had.

(Just like before, if you want to see the dress there's a picture of it on my page)

"I never said that I didn't love you anymore, Crow," Aurora turned to face him. "I still love you, forever and always. I just don't trust you; not anymore."

Sebastian watched her as she moved away from him and sighed. ~Sometimes…I don't even trust myself anymore…~

"Here's one thing that I don't understand," Lau began. "If we have this lovely thing in a skirt," He waved his hand over Aurora. "Then why would we need Ciel to pose as a girl?"

Victor and Alibaster both turned to the Chinese man and said together-"Aurora would rip Aleister's head off if he even laid a hand on her."

"And I'm quite sure that bird-boy would do the same thing, wouldn't you pal?" Alibaster gave Sebastian a nudge with his elbow. "Besides, Aurora looks to be too old for the kind of girls that this guy likes."

"Lord Drakeford," Madam Red gasped. "Don't you know to never talk about a woman's age?"

"Why?" Aurora asked her with a small smile. "I am quite old, after all."

"Impossible! Just how old are you?" Lau asked.

Aurora still wore her smile. "I'm afraid that if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

They all watched as the woman walked away, disappearing into the party members. Madam Red tilted her head. "Lord Drakeford, your friend is…quite strange."

Alibaster gave a smile. "You have no idea.

Aurora stood there as the music began to play, ignoring everything as she found herself lost in her memories as she toyed with the locket on her neck; Vincent Phantomhive had given that to her the night before the New Year's Eve Ball…

_Vincent's fingers danced around her skin, his cool touch making her blood pump faster as he pushed her backwards. The back of her legs hit something and she fell; right into the middle of a bed. She hoped that the owners of this ballroom didn't come in to find the two of them. Vincent's left hand pinned both of hers up above her head as the other traveled down the front of her dress. His fingers were like knives as he ignored everything else as they sliced the black and golden fabric down the middle; her underdress and everything else she wore witnessing the same fate. His red eyes burned into hers._

_"I cannot believe that it took me this long," His voice was low and husky as his head lowered. "To realize all that I want to do to you." She stayed silent, glancing away from him but his free hand turned her face back to him. "Don't look away from me, Cat," His lips moved down to nibble on her ear. "Never look away from me again."_

_Her back arched as a tingling sensation traveled through her. She wanted to remove his clothes and wander all over his body like he was doing to her but her hands were still pinned above her. So, she did the next best thing and grinding against him as he lay on top of her. The released her wrists and they were tugging at his jacket moments later._

_Everything that was happening just below them was erased from their minds. The sound of the music deaf to them as the two demons fought each other for dominance on the silk sheets beneath them. Both of them had had sex before, but that was only for the jobs. But this, between the two of them, it was just something else entirely. This felt nothing like what they had had before with the humans that they had. This was just…something entirely different. Something better._

_As Vincent 'worked his magic' Auroura's human moans changed into that of her demon as she lost herself in the pleasure. The roars were loud, but neither of them cared if they could be heard. Then, he caught her cries as he entered, claiming dominance from above. She gave in to him as he drove into her. Her fingernails turned into her claws as she ran her hands down his back. His teeth dug into her shoulder as sweat and blood swirled around them in the sheets and air._

_Vincent gave his own growl and turned fiercer as he pinned her underneath him, not giving her any more freedom as he continued on._

_Still above her, propped up on his elbows and breathing hard, Vincent gazed down at the woman beneath him. She pulled one of her hands and took a look at the warm, thick liquid on her nails. His breath caught as he watched her lick it off before another growl erupted from him as his weariness melted away and round two was started._

_Neither of them knew how long they were actually in that room, but the music below had been over for a long time as they finally collapsed on the bed beside the other. Vincent wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her close to him. Both were breathing hard and she buried her face into his chest, not wanting to lose the warmth that he had given her._

_"You should have apologized earlier, Crow." She whispered in a sleepy voice._

_Vincent gave a chuckle as he kissed the top of her head. Normally, sleeping was just a pass time for demons but after that, both of them felt like they deserved a little nap. "As I said," He reminded her. "No one but me."_

_"That goes both ways, I hope you know."_

"It's you again!" Jumping, Aurora turned to find Elizabeth standing behind her. "Oh, your dress is so beautiful!"

She fought down a flush as she tried to clear her memory from her mind. "Why thank you. So is yours, Elizabeth."

"Is Ciel here with you?" The girl asked, looking around.

"No, I'm afraid not." Aurora shook her head.

"Oh, that's too bad. I would have loved to dance with him again."

"Don't worry," Aurora placed a hand on the girl's head. "You are still young. You have plenty of time to dance with Ciel when you are older."

"Yes, I suppose so." Elizabeth gave a sigh before turning to talk to other woman about their dressed.

Aurora watched her before turning to leave when she bumped into the man behind her. "My apologies, Sir."

"No, no, you…you my dear, I do not believe that we have met before." The man smiled. "I am Aleister Chamber, Viscount of Druitt."

Aleister was an extremely attractive man with shaggy, light blond hair and lavender eyes. He was dressed in elegant clothing, including a white suit, a pocket square, and an ascot tie, accompanied by accessories such a brooch and white gloves.

"Aurora Rush," She replied with a small smile.

"Could you possibly mean the Mistress Rush that took care of the Drakeford family?" Aleister asked in shock.

"I am surprised that someone as young as you would know something like that," Aurora told him. "But no, that was my mother, I'm afraid."

"My parents were great friends with Lady Mairlynn and her husband passed away." Aleister told her. "They were overseas when they had heard of it and would have gladly taken Ramona and her brother in, but when they returned your mother was already there." He gave her a smile. "You took your mother's looks wonderfully, you know. There are not very many women with gorgeous hair such as yours."

"Why thank you," She smiled. She may have been a demon but it was still nice to hear compliments on her looks. "But who is it that you know what my mother looked like?"

Aleister smiled. "My Uncle, Dolsen. He had pictures in his home. Or…what was left of it after the fire over twenty years ago."

Dolsen. The name almost brought a look of horror to her face but she controlled it. Dolsen. The bastard that had kidnapped and raped Ramona. Alibaster's father. The thoughts that traveled through her mind now made her see Aleister as a parasite, being related to that horrid bastard.

"Would you care to dance?" Aleister asked her, pulling her from her thoughts again.

"You are the host of this party, are you not?" She stepped back into a curtsy. "How could I refuse?"

His hands…the feel of them on her body…It just didn't feel right. It felt…wrong. It was nothing like the dance she held with…

Her eyes caught Sebastian multiple times as the blonde man led her across the dance floor. Behind those glasses he wore with his disguise she saw the hatred burning. He didn't like this almost as much as she didn't; possibly even more so.

_A hand running down her neck made Auroura freeze as her mind came back to where she was. She glanced over her shoulder at the man in the white mask. She frowned, recognizing it. Her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest and she felt herself growing warm as his hands continued to travel over her neck and shoulders._

_"You look lovely this evening, Auroura."_

_She gave him a harsh glance. "Oh, are you talking to me again?" She asked him. "I'm surprised. Over the silent treatment?"_

_He gave one of his smirks as they continued around the floor. "I suppose that my apology is not something that you want to hear at the moment?"_

_"What makes you think that?" Came her sarcastic reply._

_He smirked as he pulled her off the dance floor. She wanted to yank her arms away from him but his strength beat hers and she knew it so she just followed after Vincent. He led her down the side of the ballroom and out a door that led to the hall of the mansion they were in. There, in the dark hall, she finally pulled away from him._

_"What do you want, Vincent?" She demanded._

_"I want to apologize." That caught her off guard and she tilted her head, watching him in confusion. Crow? Apologize? Never. Not since she had known him, anyway. "For how I've been acting for the last month or so. I've been…foolish."_

_"That's taking it easy." She mumbled, crossing her arms._

_Vincent gave a smirk and her back straightened as he moved behind her, his hands reaching up and untying the mask that she was wearing. Both of them let it fall to the ground. "I'm sure that you will still be mad at me for a long while, but at least let me explain to you why I was acting the way I was."_

_"And what makes you think that I want to hear your explanations?" She asked him._

_His hand cupped her neck softly. "If you don't want to, you can leave and go back to the party." She could tell that his voice was dancing with that smirk of his. And though she would love to just walk away and leave him standing there by himself her body didn't want to move. He gave a small 'Hah' before his other hand crawled over her neck and released her hair, allowing it to fall to its normal length._

_"What are you doing?" She asked, glaring at him over her shoulder as her heart skipped a beat._

_"I am sorry for everything since the Queen's Castle. For touching that…beast in the bedroom. And I am sorry that you had to do the same with the other. But if I hadn't been so foul to you, I might have been able to keep you from going through that."_

_"I have done things like that to get my answers before." Auroura told him. "It didn't matter."_

_"But to me, it did." His hands trailed down her shoulders. "When I saw him touching you like that in the hall, I had to use all my control to not rip his skin from his bones. And so, I'm going to fix it all."_

_She turned fully to face him, an eyebrow raised. "What are you talking about?"_

_Vincent moved forward, placing his hands on either side of her head as she was pinned between him and the wall. He leaned down and whispered in her ear – "No one is going to touch you like that again, Cat. No one, but me." He pulled back a bit and seized her lips with his own before she could respond._

"You are an exquisite dancer, Lady Rush." Aleister complimented her as they finally came to stop. "It was an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine," Aurora lied. She caught Ciel from the corner of her eye, just finishing a dance with Sebastian "Here, Lord Aleister. May I introduce you to a dear friend of mine?" Aurora smiled. She led the man towards the young boy as Sebastian walked off, claiming to 'get something to drink'. "This is Celia."

Ciel shot her an evil look before giving Aleister a curtsy. Aurora watched for a moment as Aleister began to talk to Ciel before slipping off. She quickly found a man holding out a drink for her.

"You are such an evil little minx," Aurora took the glass from Alibaster as he smiled.

"This is what we were here for, isn't it?"

"True, but the Lord did seem to be more attracted to you than the others here, Auntie." The young man told her.

"Yes, but that was all I could stand of his hands being on me." She told him.

"I understand that, but is it because he made you uncomfortable or is it because it was someone else's hands that you wanted?" Aurora closed her eyes. Alibaster gave a small snicker. "Don't worry, Aurora. Thirty years without the feel of anyone's touch would make you want even the touch of the most foulest of men."

Aurora opened her mouth to tell Alibaster about Aleister's relation to Dolsen but stopped herself. Perhaps it was better if he didn't know you.

Neither of them danced again through the night and as Sebastian started his little magic show, everyone was entertained and didn't notice as Ciel and Aleister left the room.

"I'm sure they all hit him," Alibaster commented as Lau threw the swords. "But he's a demon so he heals fast, correct?"

"We all do." Aurora turned. "I would like to go ahead and leave, if you don't mind."

Alibaster stared at her for a moment. "We'll be leaving soon, Auntie. Don't worry."

And soon it was. Sebastian saved Ciel and they all handed back to the house they were currently staying at. The moment Ciel bust into the house, the child began to tear the clothes off of him, struggling to breath.

"God, how can you women wear there damn corsets?" Ciel demanded, pulling at the said object. Alibaster winced as Victor helped him untie it.

"Corsets?" Aurora shook her head. "Please, those foul things have never once touched this body."

"You…you mean that this figure," Lau traced her body in the air. "This is all yours, nothing else?"

"Of course it is," Alibaster answered him. "Aurora is, if you allow me to say it, a woman of perfection. Right Sebastian?" He winked at the butler.

The man's face broke out into a large smile. "Indeed she is."


	7. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five_**

**_Chance Encounter_**

**Jack the Ripper had struck again, announcing that Aleister was not the one that they had been looking for. **Aurora and Alibaster were sitting on the couch behind Madam red and Ciel as they played a game of chess. Sebastian was on the other side of the room, flipping through a book of his own at a cabinet. Victor had gone to fetch Alibaster something to eat. Ciel was giving one of his speeches about being the king and moving chess pieces and betrayal. Alibaster told him to shut up, clearly annoyed with the young brat, and the room fell into silence for the moment.

Madam Red broke the silence again. "You must have had other options in life, besides policing England's underworld. I'm sure my sister, your mother, wanted something else for you. And yet after their deaths your returned to be the Queen's guard dog. Is it because you're trying to avenge your parents murders?"

Ciel was silent for a moment. "The need for revenge is a funny thing. It won't bring back the dead nor will it bring them happiness."

"But then-"

"To answer your question, I didn't return to the house of Phantomhive for my parents. I did it for myself. I want to find the people responsible for what happened and I want them to experience the same pain and humiliation that I suffered."

Glancing to the side, Aurora took notice of the look on Alibaster's face. He was staring at Ciel with an amused smile on his face as he cupped his chin in his hand. She found herself wondering what was going through that head of his.

"I remember when you were born," Madam Red stood from her chair. "That seems so long ago. You were so tiny and fragile. I remember thinking 'no matter what, I have to protect him'. You know I was never able to have children. But there was you." She placed her hand on his head and bent down a bit as she continued to talk. "And I've come to think of you as my own son. Which is why I wish you would quit this."

Ciel pushed her hand off of his head. "This is a task I've freely chosen. It's still my choice to make, and no one else's. I don't regret my decision and I won't be cuddled."

"Oh, shove off, Phantomhive," Alibaster was still grinning. "She's just showing her concern. In years to come, whether near or far, you're going to appreciate it so accept it while she's still here to give it, yeah?"

Madam Red gave Alibaster a grateful smile. It wasn't long after that, that Madam Red decided to take off. Grell had come back for her.

Aurora closed her book. "I bid you all a good evening," She began. "Alibaster, do take care not to stay up too late."

"What are you, my mother?" The man hissed under his breath as she shut the door.

Aurora's small grin fell from her face as she closed her bedroom door behind her. She was bored out of her mind and stood there, deciding whether or not to take a bath or to just sleep. She didn't care what she did so she just trumped over to the bed and dropped down onto it, staring at the ceiling above her. Rolling over to her side, she rolled her arm under her head and closed her eyes. She didn't know how long she laid there, but nothing happened until she felt the warm finger tracing lines across her back. She gave a soft smile.

"What is it, Sebastian?"

"Nothing," His reply came. "Do I need to have a reason to want to be in here with you?"

"Most of the time, there is." She told him. She fell silent, enjoying the feel of his touch.

Sebastian smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her against him, curving his body around hers. He inhaled her scent, wishing her could just sit here like this for a while, not having to get back up to deal with Ciel and the others. He smiled as Aurora grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his. He leaned his head forward and kissed the crook of her neck; he felt the shiver travel through her.

"What did you come up here for, Sebastian?" She asked him.

The butler sighed and pulled away, standing up. "Come," Sebastian gave her a smile as he held open the door. "Ciel and Alibaster are waiting."

_**~I've been fading away**_

_**I've been waiting on the call to reach my veins**_

_**Ready or not**_

_**No attention to waste**_

_**Every sorrow of the soul will read my name**_

_**When I cease to exist~**_

**"I must have been daft, agreeing to come with you idiots in the middle of the rain." **Alibaster's teeth chattered.

"Don't worry," Aurora replied. "We'll be back home soon."

"He'll show if we stake-out this place, right?" Ciel asked, peeking around the corner.

"Yes." Sebastian answered.

"You know, I've realized that the murdered prostitutes have other things in common besides their professions."

"Oh?" Alibaster raised a brow. "And that is?"

Aurora's ear twitched as Sebastian's voice. "The most beautiful, glossy black hair."

"I still don't understand why he had to kill them all." Ciel ignored both of them.

"At this point in time, it doesn't matter. You can wonder about that after we've caught him." Alibaster told the child.

"So very loveable. It could almost be a sin." Sebastian mumbled to himself. "It's so soft. Oh, so soft."

Ciel shuddered at Sebastian's creepy voice. "Listen when I'm talking to you!"

Aurora shook her head, watching as Sebastian had picked up a black cat. "Oh, I apologize, sir, but she's oh so beautiful! And soft!"

Alibaster gave a laugh. "Sebastian, my friend, you never cease to amaze me."

Sebastian opened his mouth to reply when a woman's scream cut through the night.

"How could someone have gotten past us?" Ciel demanded.

"It's not that hard once you think about it," Alibaster took off around the corner, Aurora right behind him. "We're not dealing with someone normal." He shoved the door open and found what they were looking for. Another woman, ripped to pieces inside of a dark room. Sebastian grabbed Ciel, covering his eyes and pulling him back but Alibaster didn't move. HE glared inside, teeth clenched until he turned away himself. Aurora frowned at the two that still stood inside the room.

"Well, I have to say that this is a surprise." She commented. She backed up from the door herself, giving the inhabitants room to walk out into the night. Behind her, Sebastian still held his hand over Ciel's eyes as the boy threw-up.

"You've made quite a bloody mess in there," The butler smiled. "Jack the Ripper." Grell walked out, a frightened look on his face as he mumbled about trying to help after the scream but neither of them bought it. "You can drop the innocent act, Grell. It's over. You know, this is actually the first time that I've met someone like you in the human world. You played the role of helpless butler well. Your act had almost everybody completely fooled."

"You…you think so?" Grell asked. His face then changed into something rather demonic. "How kind. That's great to hear. After all, I am an actress." He began to shed his clothes. "And quite a good one at that. Of course, you're not really Sebastian either, are you? And the same to you, Aurora."

"Sebastian is the name my master gave me so that is who I am. For now. And Aurora was the name that she chose so that is who she is."

"Ahh, you're playing the faithful dog." Grell commented to Sebastian, completely ignoring his comment about Aurora. "Well, you are handsome enough to get away with it. Either way, here we are, Sebastian. No, I'll call you Bassy. Let me introduce myself. The Benette Butler Grell Sutcliff. What do you say? Let's get along." He blew Sebastian a kiss. The butler shuddered.

Aurora frowned. So this is why she smelt blood and felt uneasy around Grell. Everything clicked together.

"Is he a demon as well?" Alibaster asked her, giving a shudder of his own.

"No," She shook her head. "He's a reaper."

"As in Grim?" Alibaster gave Grell another look. "Well, there goes the image of the kick-ass skeleton in the cloak with a scythe."

Grell now had long, dark red hair and sharp teeth with red-framed glasses which were accessorized with a neck chain adorned with skulls. He was in a suit with gloves, a bowtie, high-heeled ankle boots.

"It's so nice to talk to you in my true form," Grell continued. "I must admit, I was rather surprised when I first met the both of you. I've never seen a demon playing a butler."

"Well, the same goes for you." Aurora gave a smile. "A reaper as a butler? With your actions, it makes me wonder what Lawrence is going to do with you. Or is William the one who dishes your punishments nowadays?"

Grell looked at the woman in shock for a moment before a large smile split across his face. "Why yes, I shouldn't be surprised with you knowing who they are. Being alive for as long as we have, of course you've run into a few of us, haven't you?"

"Indeed. Tell me, how does Alan Humphries fare? Is he still upset over our last gander?"

"Gander?" Grell tilted his head. "What do you…" A look of horror spread across his face. "You! It was you, wasn't it?" He shouted. Aurora's face slid into a more dark grin.

"What was it that she was supposed to do?" Alibaster asked. Both he and Sebastian stared at the woman, waiting.

"Years ago, before I met your mother, Alibaster," Aurora began. "My sister Melony and I traveled together. We came across a set of Grim Reapers and one of them, Alan, decided that he didn't like us. When he attacked, I left him with a little…gift, you could say."

"Gift?" Grell scoffed. "It was a curse! That damn illness that makes him suffer!"

"The Thorns of Death," Aurora's grin grew worse. Alibaster's brows rose. He had never seen Aurora look this…demonic before. "He can only be cured by slaying a thousand people and collecting their souls. I take it that he hasn't completed it yet."

"Why would a divine being like yourself pretend to be a servant?" Sebastian asked, dragging the conversation away from that.

"Why indeed?" Grell grinned. "For now, let's just say it was out of love for a certain woman."

"And that woman would be?" Sebastian frowned. They all knew the answer to that question though.

"You don't really need to ask, do you?" Madam Red's voice came to them as she stepped out of the room herself. Ciel lifted Sebastian's hand from his face. "Well, I hadn't counted on this. I didn't think that anyone would be able to tell who Grell truly it."

"Naturally, you were on the suspect list from the beginning," Ciel told her. "But all of your alibies seemed flawless."

"You mean you actually suspected your own aunt?" Madam Red titled her head.

"Aurora," The woman turned to see that Alibaster was standing beside her, leaning in to whisper.

"What is it?"

"What did you do to this man's partner?"

"It's a long story," She smiled. "I'll tell you over a drink some time."

The strange, mechanical sound caught their attention, dragging them back to the group before them to see that Grell had summoned forth his scythe…or whatever the hell that strange object was. He tried to hit Ciel but Sebastian had stopped it.

"What is that?" Ciel demanded.

"Grim Reaper's use tools for harvesting souls," Sebastian answered him. "That is his Death Scythe."

"Don't you dare call it that!" Grell cried. "This is some much more than I scythe. I worked very hard to customize it! This is a special Death Scythe of my own design. It can hack anyone into pieces!" Grell then decided to strike a few poses. "I've been far too well behaved. I am getting out of shape. I would love to exercise my skills so shall we play?"

Alibaster just stared at Grell for a moment before clapping a hand on Sebastian's shoulder. "He's all yours, Sebastian. Have fun."

Sebastian just stared at both of them. "Perhaps you can be a bit more respectful of my position. I am on duty, after all."

"What a stoic man you are!" Grell freak out, apparently very happy. "That makes you even more irresistible!"

"Uh," Alibaster looked at Grell like he was crazy. "Are you, like, gay or something?"

"Gay?" Grell cried out in horror. "How dare you call a lady gay!"

The man gave a laugh. "Dude, THIS," He ran his hands down Aurora's arms. "Is a lady. Just ask Sebastian. I'm sure he could tell you EVERYTHING about his little Cat, right Sebastian?" Aurora gave a sigh as Sebastian just smiled.

Grell, apparently not liking that, turned his glare to Aurora. "I'll kill you first!"

"I think not." Sebastian took a step in front of her, a frown on his face again.

Grell took a step forward, setting his feet. "You know, red is my favorite color. It's perfect for hair, for clothes, for lipstick. So I've painted all those women with pretty, pretty red blood. So, Bassy, I'll make you even better looking than you are. I'll tear you up on the inside and trust me, I'll make you like it!" He gave a wink. "You'll be as lovely as scattered rose petals."

"Okay, this is even starting to freak me out." Aurora sighed.

"You're a Grim Reaper," Sebastian turned from Grell and took off his coat, planting it over Ciel's trembling body. "Your job is to quietly harvest the souls of the dead. As a butler, your job is to follow your master as a shadow. You have violated both of these expectations and quite frankly, I find it sickening.

"Bassy, you wound me. You know," He lifted his chainsaw. "I'm more efficient than I seem." He stuck another pose and Alibaster gave out a cry, covering his eyes with his hands.

"God, now I'll never get that picture out of my face!"

"In my name and that of the Queen," Ciel began. "I order you, Sebastian, put an end to them!"

Sebastian's eyes returned to their normal, red shape. "Indeed, my young lord." Aurora watched with a smile as he grabbed the bottom of his right glove with his teeth. It sent a shiver down her back. The Grim Reaper and the Demon took off down the alley, fighting, leaving Ciel with Madam Red and Alibaster to watch. Aurora turned to look at the man.

"What would you have me do, Ali?"

Alibaster thought for a moment, a firm look on his face. "Whatever you like," He replied after a moment. "I am not your master. I do not control you, Auntie. Make up your own choice."

"Make my own choice, huh?" Aurora tilted her head. She gave Alibaster a smile before she disappeared.

He blinked. "Well, that wasn't what I had been expecting."

"You're still the Queen's guard dog," Madam Red caught his attention and he turned to the even that was about to transpire between the woman and her nephew. "Which means now that I'm your prey. But if it's hunt or be hunted, there's only one thing I can do!" Red had pulled a knife out of her sleeve and ran at Ciel. She would have struck him if Alibaster had not grabbed the child and pulled him out of the way. Hi foot slammed in Red's chest, pushing her away from them with a firm face.

"You're a doctor!" Ciel cried. "How could you do this?"

"You wouldn't understand if I told you," The woman whipped around to glare at them. "You're just a child!"

"Then why don't you tell me?" Alibaster frowned at her. "Besides, I'm sure that I would understand more than the brat would."

"You…you rat!" Madam Red ran forward to attack. Alibaster let go of Ciel, thinking that the child would run while he took care of his aunt, but he didn't even move.

"Ciel, get-" He got cut off by Madam Red's knife penetrating his arm and he jumped out of the way with a hiss, watching as the woman grabbed Ciel's throat.

"You shouldn't even have been born in the first place!" Red cried. She went to stab Ciel but something stopped her. Alibaster watched, holding his bleeding arm, as Sebastian broke free of Grell and went to attack Madam Red but Ciel told him not to. Alibaster looked at the butler in shock as Madam Red dropped her knife and backed away. Sebastian had been wounded.

Aurora was going to be pissed.

"Oh, how sweet you are, Bassy!" Grell grinned. "Really, what a prince. Sacrificing your own, poor limb to save that kid. On the other hand, you're a disappointment, madam," Grell tsked Red. "Now, hurry up and kill the brat already."

Alibaster turned from the conversation for a moment at the sound of a whistle. He glanced at the top of the rooftops and found Aurora standing there, a new form beside her. He raised a brow. ~Who the hell did she go to get?~'

The man was tall with short, neatly-combed, black hair and yellow-green eyes. He wore rectangle-shaped glasses and wore a dark suit with a tie, gloves, and dress shoes.

Alibaster turned back in time to see Grell stab Madam Red with his Scythe, crying about her being disappointing. His eyes widened as photos flew around them. It was her life. Her memories. Madam Red had fallen in love with Vincent, the Earl of Phantomhive, but her sister married him instead resulting in Ciel. Eventually, Red married a man herself and was with child when an accident killed her husband and removed her child from her to save her own life. The abortion made it to where she could never have children again. When she went to visit her sister, she found the mansion burning down in red, the color she hated. Finally, when one of her patients, a prostitute, approached her for an abortion due to the 'nuisance' growing inside of her, Madam Red had decided to kill those who would throw such a precious thing away. It was later that night that, during her first kill, that she first met Grell. Since then, they murdered the Prostitutes that underwent abortions under the name of Jack the Ripper.

"What a disappointment you turned out to be in the end," Grell shook his head. He ripped the red coat from her body. "You don't have what it takes to wear red. Your cheap little mellow-drama ends now. It's over, Madam Red. Goodbye." He turned to walk off.

Ciel knelt down and closed his aunt's eyes. "Well, what are you waiting for?" The child's voice was trembling. "I thought I told you to put an end to Jack the Ripper. It's not over yet." Sebastian lifted his head as Grell stopped in his path. "One is left. Stop standing there and kill him!" Ciel ordered, looking at his butler.

Sebastian smiled. "Certainly."

Alibaster turned is head back to the roof above them but found that Aurora and her companion were no longer there. What the hell was going on?

Grell glanced back at them. "Oh, I was going to spare you. Professional courtesy and all that, but if you insist." He started his chainsaw again. "I'll send you and the boy to heaven together!"

Sebastian dodged the blow and jumped behind the Reaper. "Heaven? You must be joking. I know nothing of heaven."

"Yeah, kind of a dumb statement there, pal," Alibaster told the redhead.

"You would kick a lady in the face!" Grell cried. "Where are your manners, sir?"

"I believe that we've already gone over this!" Alibaster shook his head. "You're not a woman! This is a woman!" He motioned at Aurora. "You're just a-" He froze and turned back to the woman by his side. "When did you get here?"

Aurora smiled and then frowned at the wound in his shoulder. "Who hurt you?"

"You don't need to worry about it," Alibaster told her. "Our Reaper here took care of that already."

"Is that right," she turned and looked at Madam Red for a moment before lifting her gaze to Ciel. "So, how does it make you feel?"

"What?" The boy looked at her.

"This is just the beginning of your fate. This is all you have to look forward to since making the deal with Crow. It will only get worse. You may act big but in the end you will crumble. All of you humans do, and in the end, I can't wait to see your result."


	8. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six_**

**_At The Funeral_**

**Aurora and Alibaster ignored everything around them as Sebastian fought against Grell. **They watched in silence, both seeming to enjoy the fight as Ciel sat over the body of his aunt. Both of them had decided that this no longer had anything to do with them and so they stayed out of it. This was Ciel's problem, and Sebastian's since he worked for Ciel, so Grell had nothing to do with them. Aurora had already interfered too much with just leaving and coming back with an old…friend.

Speaking of which, where was he?

"You demons are such interesting creatures." Alibaster gave a laugh as Grell offered to hold Sebastian's children. "The reapers, too." He turned and glanced at Aurora. "Speaking of which, you never explained anything about your sister."

"No, I suppose that I didn't, did I?" Aurora's eyes narrowed slightly as Grell's chainsaw sliced through Sebastian's chest. She watched as Ciel's household passed across as Sebastian's memories.

"That is what my life has been like for the past two years," Sebastian breathed hard. The blood dripping and rolling down Sebastian's body was setting Aurora's nerves on edge. She could feel her other side fight to break from its cage; oh lord, what she would do to that blood-covered demon…

"Your companion is rather sharp," A voice came from behind them. Aurora wore a smile and turned to face the new man that stood behind her and Alibaster. "Using his tailcoat to stop Grell's weapon." Alibaster took notice of the man that he had seen standing beside the woman on the roof a few minutes before.

"Ah, William," the woman smiled. "Finally decided to stop all of this, have you?"

William gave her a sharp look before going to join the two men on the roof. "Wait just a moment," Aurora placed a hand in front of him. "Let Sebastian have his revenge." The trio watched as the said-demon beat the hell out of Grell, clearly not noticing the second Reaper there as he got ready to kill Grell with his own Scythe.

"I must move," William told them. Aurora lowered her hand, that smile still on her face.

Alibaster tilted his head to the side. "There are many things that I don't know about you, Auntie."

"Yes," Aurora closed her eyes. "Many, many things."

"I can tell you who murdered the kid's parents!" Grell cried out, shocking them all.

William had returned to the roof above them all and his scythe had stretched out, blocking the chainsaw from hitting Grell as he was held beneath Sebastian's boot. "I apologize for interrupting," The new reaper called down as his scythe shrunk again now that he held their attention. "Let me introduce myself, I am William T. Spears and administer of the Grim Reaper staffing association." He pushed his glasses up. "I've come to retrieve that reaper there."

Grell pushed himself up on his hands in relief. "William! Oh William!" the said reaper jumped from the roof again. "Did you come to save m-" He was cut off as William landed on his head and smashed him into the concrete. William then opened the book in his hand and began to read. "Attention reaper Grell Sutcliff. You have violated several regulations. First, you killed people not on the to-die list. Second, you used a death scythe modified without modernization, and finally you offered somebody strictly classified information regarding the identity of his relatives' murderer." He gave another stomp on Grell's head before jumping off of it and giving Sebastian a short bow. "I apologize for all of the trouble this wretch has caused." He reached his strange scythe into his jacket and pulled out a card for Sebastian to take. "Honestly, I never thought that I'd see the day when I had to bow my head to demon scum like you. This is a disgrace to all Grim Reapers."

Aurora took a step forward up beside Sebastian. "Now, now, William. It's not the first time you've bowed your head to a demon, now is it?"

"The point is, my lady," William gave her a smile. "You are not scum."

"A compliment," Aurora sounded surprised. "Not something I had expected from you."

Sebastian gave a small frown. "Then perhaps you should keep a better eye on your minions," He tossed the card aside. "So they don't trouble us. Humans are so easily tempted. They will do anything with the grip of utter despair. They will grasp at any thread that promises to save them from what happens; no matter the consequences. You should know that."

William straightened up. "That's a charming bit of hypocrisy." He pushed his glasses up again. "You demons lack quality more often than we do."

Sebastian gave a smirk. "That I cannot deny."

"I'm afraid that I cannot, either." Aurora gave a shrug.

William glanced over his shoulder as Ciel as he still knelt by his aunt's body. "And now both of you seemed to be tamed dogs."

"On the contrary," Aurora tiled her head. "I am here with no deal. I'm just along for the ride."

William smiled at her. "I thank you for coming to get me, Aurora. We have been wondering where Grell had disappeared to for the last few months."

"Not a problem at all, William. Just make sure that I don't have to deal with him again anytime soon."

"I'll see to it." William then turned with a frown. "Now, come along with me, Grell. We're leaving." He grabbed the other reaper by the hair and began to drag him away. "We're already shorthanded and here you are already landing me with more overtime. The board is not going to be pleased." Aurora watched in interest as Sebastian took Grell's scythe and tossed it after the two reapers. William didn't even turn around; all he had to do was lift two fingers to grab the blade.

Sebastian gave one of his smiles, tilting his head a bit. "All assume you'll want that, yes?"

"Yes. Thank you." He dropped the chainsaw and it landed on Grell; hard. He pushed his glasses up again. "Now, if you'll please excuse us." They disappeared into the darkness of the alley.

Sebastian gave a sigh and turned to walk towards Ciel but Aurora grabbed his hand. He glanced back at her, eyebrow raised.

"Alibaster," The woman glanced at the other man. "Take Ciel back to the house and take care of him. He'll die out here if he's here any longer."

"And just what do you plan on doing?" Alibaster asked with a mocking smile on his face. The look on her face told him that now was not a time for him to joke around. "Don't stay out too long now."

Ciel tried to argue with Alibaster but the elder man won and the two of them disappeared. The rain had stopped, Aurora was pleased; especially as she ran her finger down the wounds on Sebastian's bodies. The man smiled, now realizing what she had planned.

"Forgiven me, have you?"

"Forgiven? No," Aurora shook her head with a small smile. "Unable to stop myself? Yes," She leaned forward. "You know what the smell of your blood does to me, Crow. How can you forget it?" She pulled the cloth away before running her tongue over the wound.

Sebastian closed his eyes with a smile as a cool shiver from the touch of her tongue and lips traveled down his spine. He reached up and pulled the collar of her shirt and jacket away. He leaned down and punctured her skin with his teeth. "The same as yours, little Cat."

**_~You are all I can remember_**

**_After all that we've been through_**

**_Forever in my heart~_**

**Sebastian and Aurora did not return until the following day. **They arrived just in time as Ciel and the others arrived for Madam Red's funeral. Melony and the Undertaker were even there. Melony seemed to know what her sister had gone through all night and stayed outside of the church wiith her and Sebastian. After all, the three of them were not allowed inside as Ciel placed a red dress over his aunt's body.

"Did the two of you have fun last night?"

Aurora and Sebastian exchanged a look as a thin smile slid across their lips. "You could say that."

"Does that mean the two of you are a thing again? No more of this coy-crap?" Alibaster asked them.

"Now, now," Undertaker grinned as the roses behind them flew into the church. "That would be none of our business, now would it?"

Aurora smiled, closing her eyes. "I believe that I am actually hungry for once." She turned to Alibaster. "Where is Victor?"

"Victor is at the house still. Shall we go and ask him to cook something?"

"Yes, I think we should," She turned to her sister. "Would you like to join us?"

Melony glanced at the Undertaker; he gave a shrug. "Why not? I wouldn't mind seeing that little boy again. He's a man now though, right?"

"Of course he is. Humans age, do they not?"

"Indeed they do," Melony folded her hands into her jacket as Alibaster led the way to his carriage. "Indeed they do."


	9. Chapter 7

**_Chapter Seven_**

**_Merrymaking_**

**The voices of Ciel's servants as they sang in the carriage behind them was making Alibaster furious. **He tried his hardest to ignore them but it just wasn't working as they repeated themselves over and over again. Even Victor was starting to get annoyed; and he had it worst due to his as the one driving their carriage. Alibaster and Aurora sat with Ciel in the carriage Sebastian had control of. Aurora, as normal, had her nose in her book, ignoring everything around them; or trying to. He took notice of the several ill looks she shot the carriage behind them. It made him smile.

"Do you hear how happy they are?" Sebastian asked over his shoulder. "They're very grateful to you. Such a kind, young master."

"I don't know about kind," Alibaster replied, taking a sip from the bottle in his hand. "I say he was more afraid of coming home to find destruction. Those four morons could barely stay at the house for a few days without you or Ciel there, Bassy, let alone a whole week."

The butler shivered. "Please, do not call me that."

Alibaster laughed. "Ahh, not too nice to be reminded of Grell, eh? I wonder…just how he fares with that companion of his."

"Oh, I'm sure he got what he deserved," Aurora didn't glance up from her book. "William T. Spears isn't one to play with fools like that foul creature."

"Speaking of which," Alibaster looked at the woman. "How do you know that reaper, Spears? An old acquaintance?"

"Something like that." Aurora replied.

"Well, come on. Details."

"Curiosity kills the Cat, you know." Aurora told him, glancing from her book.

"But you're the Cat, Aurora."

The smile that she sent him told Alibaster that that was the point.

Glancing over his shoulder, Alibaster frowned as they arrived at Houndsworth village. The bones of animals were all over the ground beneath a tree with collars hanging from it. His face ran white as the servants screamed behind him.

"Where in the hell are we?" He asked Aurora.

The woman wore a frown as she gazed over the village herself. "A hell for dogs, it seems."

By the command of Queen Victoria, Ciel was to secure Houndsworth and create some type of resort. The village was controlled by a nobleman named Henry Barrymore.

"I fear that I am not going to like this, Aunt Aurora."

"You are not the only one, Ali," Aurora narrowed her eyes before closing her eyes. "After all, humans are more of the foulest beings."

"Is that why you hate us so much, Aurora?" Alibaster asked her.

A despising frown crossed the woman's face. "You could say that."

The entire village was gray and the sounds of barking dogs covered them. Lifeless trees were everywhere; a pitiful place indeed.

Alibaster gave a chuckle at Aurora. "You're going to hate this place, aren't you. The dogs are going to be able to know right off the back that you're a cat, aren't they?"

"Perhaps. If they're smart enough."

"Don't worry, my lady," Sebastian smiled at her over his shoulder. "I'm here."

They moved past the village and up to a large manor on the hill in the back. It looked as bad as the rest of the lace. A maid moved out to greet them.

"Is this the Earl of Phantomhive?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Yes," Sebastian answered her.

She bowed. "Welcome to Barrymore castle. My master awaits your arrival."

"This is a castle?" Alibaster stared up at it. "My stepfather's place was huge compared to this."

"Be nice, Ali." Aurora told him.

The maid led the four of them through the castle and the others were given their own way. They ended up in a room with animal heads. Aurora frowned, trying her hardest not to make a remark. The thoughts of animals being hunted for fun made her sick. She was not going to be very friendly to these people at all. Alibaster wasn't, either.

The crack of a whip caught their attention and they lowered their gaze to find a large man hitting the maid with a whip.

"Who the hell is this Chihuahua? I told you to bring me the Queen's guard dog when he arrives! Don't you do anything right?"

"Chihuahua?" Sebastian asked with a frown.

Alibaster moved forward with a snarl on his face, ripping the whip from that man's hand before whacking him with his head as Aurora knelt down beside the maid to take care of her.

"What that hell is this?" Alibaster growled at the man. "What is wrong with you, man?"

Aurora didn't care to hear the conversation that next transpired between the four men of the room. She lifted the maid to her feet. "Are you all right?"

The maid nodded her head, wiping the tears from her face. "Y-yes. I thank you."

"Maid or not," Aurora told her. "You shouldn't be treated like that. If you wish revenge while I am here, you only need to ask." The maid gave a chuckle, thinking that it was just a joke.

Ciel and Alibaster sat at the table with Henry as the maid brought forth some tea. Sebastian joined her in serving it and Aurora stayed off to the side, just watching in silence. The maid's hands were still shaking so Sebastian took care of serving the tea. Henry slapped the papers on the table.

"There's nothing to discuss. Under no circumstances will I give Barrymore castle to anybody."

"Why is that?" Ciel asked.

"Because of the curse."

"Oh? What curse?"

"This village and its dogs have existed for centuries. Anyone who interferes with us will be cursed in a most horrible way. Even the Queen cannot lift the curse! Your mission is pointless. Anyone who acts against the wishes of the Barrymore family is destined to witness a very terrible end."

"Is that a threat?" Alibaster asked.

"How interesting," Ciel agreed.

"What?" The man didn't seem to understand.

"You've piqued my curiosity." Ciel told him. "I'd like to see this dreadful curse of yours, Lord Henry."

The elder man looked like he was about to pop a vein.

"There is something quite strange going on around here," Victor decided to talk to Alibaster and Aurora that next morning. "I heard from Sebastian earlier that they tried to convince Ciel to leave."

"Is that right?" Alibaster flipped a coin in his hands. "Around the time of the appearance of the demon hound, right?"

"Yes. It seems that it's truly haunted then, hmm?" Aurora raised a brow at Victor's comment.

"No, it's not. We're being played here like some set of fools." Aurora told them. She thought of the man that had been killed by the dog the evening before. The chant the villagers had performed for them made her veins run cold. She would have loved to knock some sense into these fools but had kept silent and returned to the room she had been given.

They were all now at the lake, enjoying their 'vacation'. The servants were all swimming, Ciel sitting in his chair a few feet away as Sebastian stood beside him. Aurora and the two men were standing further down the bank, talking quietly to themselves as they kept an eye open on the others.

"This demon hound is no dog," Alibaster replied. "There's something going on here, I'm afraid."

"Of course there is. Something is always going on with foolish events like this."

"Aurora," They turned to find Sebastian standing behind them with a smile on his face. "Would you care to join me? We can leave the others here for a time, I believe."

The woman smiled. "I don't see any harm in that." She followed him, leaving Alibaster and Victor to themselves.

"The two of them have quite a thing. I wonder what happened before I met them," Victor smiled. "They knew eachother before the events with your mother. What brought them together, I wonder."

"That's another tale of itself, Victor. And one I'm sure no one will ever know."

Their attention was caught by villagers running around behind them crying about catching the 'bad dog'. They followed everyone. A look of utter horror crossed Alibaster's face at the sight of the 'punishment' set upon the poor creature.

"This is madness!" Victor cried. He went to run forward to stop this but two bodies shot past him first. He was shocked to find it to be Finny and Alibaster. Alibaster fell back as Finny used a beam to knock the dogs away before bending down to check on the poor victim.

(I freakin' hate this episode! I would have killed the entire village!)

As Ciel and the others ran up behind them, the villagers stepped forward with weapons, talking about punishing them for interrupting.

"What the hell is wrong with you fools?" Victor demanded.

Alibaster lifted the poor creature in his arms and turned to face the villagers. His dark eyes were full of hatred as he glared at them. "Aurora." His voice was firm.

Ciel glanced at the man for a moment, wondering. The hounds were set upon them like they had been the unfortunate dog now in the man's arms but they never reached them.

"You called?" Aurora stood there in front of them now, a large grin on her face. The dogs with the villagers began to growl and bark at her; like they would a cat. She gave them a swift glare.

"Kill them." Alibaster's cold voice shocked everyone. "All of them. Every last one of them!"

"Now just a minute my Lord Alibaster," Sebastian's voice turned Aurora to the butler that now stood there with them.

"You dare to interfere?" Henry demanded.

"Well, you didn't possibly see something else happening, did you?" Aurora gave him a small smile. "You dare lay a hand on those important to me and I'll make sure you never see the light of day again." She told him that in a light, airy tone but the feeling struck them all hard. The dogs began to growl at her again.

"Shameful," Sebastian glared at the dogs. "What coarse, noisy growling they have. One of the reasons I despise these creatures." Aurora watched as his eyes glowed and the dogs sat down, wagging their tails at them. She frowned. Why hadn't she thought of that? "Because you are a cat," Sebastian replied to her unspoken comment. "And you were standing on edge."

"Was not," She replied with a small grin.

The Villagers were shocked.

"Your pitiful farce ends here, Barrymore!" Ciel cried out now. "There is no demon hound! It's all a lie! There's just him; an old man obsessed with power! Determined to keep it no matter what."

"I take it that you found something?" Victor asked Aurora.

"Of course. Did you expect little less of us?" She replied.

"What?" Henry cried out. "What evidence do you have?"

"There's this," Sebastian answered him. He pulled out a dog skull. "We've confirmed that these teeth marks match the markings of the bites on the man from last night." He then stood and pointed up to the sky. "Do you see it now?" There was the projection of a dog on the dark clouds above them. "The truth behind the demon hound. It's shadow is nothing but a projection, just a transparent trick. The glowing is prosperous dust, sprinkled on a normal dog." Sebastian grabbed a bottle from his coat and dumped the green dust on the ground at his feet.

"It is merely an illusion. A story made up by an evil man." Ciel told the villagers. "The man you let rule your village. This man, Henry Barrymore!"

"No!" Henry cried out. "It's all nonsense! You can't fool them! Where's your evidence?"

Not wanting to hear any more of this foolish game, Aurora turned to Alibaster as he still held that dog in his hands. "Are you all right, Alibaster?"

"These people," He began. "They sicken me."

"Indeed, they all sicken me." Aurora turned her attention to the dog and pulled the strip of cloth from its mouth. "Here, Sebastian." The butler gave a smile before returning to the villagers. "Would you like to retire from this absurd moment?"

"I think a bath and some warm tea can help with this." Victor joined in as Henry was turned on by his villagers and carried off.

Their thoughts were cut off as Finny came over and hugged the dog Alibaster still held, tears crawling down his face as he told him he was a good boy.

"There you go, just another reason that I hate dogs." Sebastian sighed lowly.

Aurora gave him a soft punch in the arm. He glanced down at her with a smile.


	10. Chapter 8

**_Chapter Eight_**

**_Training_**

**Henry was found dead, an arm missing. **So of course Ciel had set to trying to find out who had killed him. Alibaster admitted that he didn't care but of course he was going to help. With the announcement of the Demon Hound being there, the villagers believed that the hound had killed him.

"Its total bullshit," Alibaster stated, setting his glass down. "Someone is behind all of this. We just have to find out whom."

"But how?" Victor asked. "What can we do?"

"You forget, we have two demons on our side," Alibaster grinned. He turned is head to look at Aurora. "We can pretty much do whatever we want."

Aurora glanced at him from the corner of her eyes before turning back to the cup of tea sitting in his hands. "I suppose I could help Sebastian during this. He can't always do it alone."

"It's not that I can't do it alone," Sebastian replied. "But when you have companions why not do it together?" The two demons exchanged grins.

"This village completely isolated themselves from the rest of the world due to the demon hound's curse," Ciel joined in the talk. Only the five of them were in the room. Finn and the others were busy taking Angela to her room. "I thought for certain the hound was an illusion, created by Lord Barrymore so he could more firmly control the village but with him dead we'll need to rethink things."

"He was covered in bite marks," Victor leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "Whether or not the demon hound is real, they were bites from a dog. It's not that hard to get a dog to bite you. Maybe someone in the village just took it a bit too far."

"Yes, maybe," Sebastian nodded. "For now there's only one thing we know. It wasn't human."

"We'll figure it out." Alibaster nodded. "Ciel, you need to get to bed for the night. We can continue this in the morning."

"What are you, my father now?" Ciel growled.

"No, but I am older than you are so you have to do as I say." Alibaster replied. "Arguing is just going to make it harder and worse for the both of us so just do it. It'll make everything easier." Ciel went off but he was ignored at Alibaster gave Sebastian a look. The demon gave a smile before escorting the child from the room. "Do you have any ideas, auntie?" Alibaster had moved to stare out the window as the night continued on.

"I have several theories," The woman answered, standing up from the table. "Which of them true though, that is the question." She moved towards the door. "I believe I shall retire for the night."

As the door closed, Victor looked at Alibaster. "Sir, do you think that-"

"Aurora wouldn't do anything behind our backs, especially mine." Alibaster cut him off. "She might know the answer to what's going on but she won't let it go too much further."

"But she let the man die."

"True, but then again I would have as well. Aurora is…different from Sebastian. She lets her feelings get involved with her work, unlike our other friend. It can be both her strong suit…and her downfall."

**_~Let's walk through the fire together_**

**_Disappear in the golden sands_**

**_It's all in your face_**

**_I see you break_**

**_It's like the sound of winter~_**

**"Are you all right, Baldaroy?"**

Aurora's question made the man look up from his feet. Sebastian was giving Ciel his breakfast as Alibaster and Victor ate their own further down the table. Baldaroy and Tanaka were standing by the table and the woman had just entered. She instantly took notice of the man's depression.

"Yes, I'm fine. Nothing you need to worry yourself about, ma'am."

Aurora stared at him for a moment before sitting down beside Victor. Sebastian instantly brought her a cup of tea. She frowned and opened her mouth to say something but the door burst open, Mey-Rin and Finn bursting in, the woman crying for Sebastian.

"What's the matter this time?" The butler sighed. "Do calm down, please."

"We've looked all over. We can't find Angela!"

"Oh, is that all?" Baldaroy sighed. "Don't worry about it. She said there was some medicinal herbs growing down by the fen. She went down there to pick some up, that's all."

Aurora sighed as the servants continued to go on about the maid. Finn ran off to go help her and Baldaroy moved after him, calling for Sebastian to help him.

"Well, I, uh," Sebastian was lost for words.

"Well are you a red-blooded man or aren't you?" Baldaroy demanded. The butler stayed silent. "Fine then. Let's go Mey-Rin."

"Sir, yes sir." The woman nodded.

"Where's Tanaka?" They all turned to see Tanaka in his chibi form, dressed in a safari outfit and a gun, marching in place, ready to go. Aurora placed a hand over her mouth, giggles escaping her lips. "That's the spirit! Okay! Let's move out, men!" The trio ran out.

The room was silent for a few moments longer until Ciel smiled. "You know, I'm quite interested. What color is your blood?"

Alibaster blinked. "Dude, we just saw it when he fought Grell. It was red, wasn't it?" He looked at Aurora.

The woman smiled as she sipped her tea. "I don't know; was it?"

"At any rate," Ciel sighed as the older man glared at the woman. "It is as if we do need to hurry now." Sebastian sighed. "Go out there and put on a good show for me, am I clear?"

"Perfectly, my young lord." Sebastian answered him.

"You could ask nicely, you know." Alibaster told the child. "You might get things more that way." He glanced at Aurora. She stood from her seat, setting her tea down before disappearing from the room. Sebastian followed after her.

Ciel grinned. "Where's the fun in that?"

**"There's something about that woman," **Aurora began. "She's hiding something."

"Yes, very easy to see." Sebastian nodded.

"I believe she's the one behind all of this." The woman continued. She frowned as a howl went off. "It seems that the others have found what we're looking for."

"Indeed." Sebastian grinned. "Shall we?"

The two demons hurried forward just in time to take in the sight of the fight before them. A huge, white dog was getting ready to stomp on Finn. Aurora moved forward without a second thought and grabbed the young mas as Sebastian confronted the demon hound.

"So well trained," The butler began. "You even know how to shake hands."

"Are you okay, Finn?" Aurora asked the man still in her arms.

"You two were just in time." The blond sounded breathless.

"But I am afraid," Sebastian continued. "Well trained or not, you'll have to go!" Sebastian threw his hand up and the hound went flying to the side and crashing to the ground.

"Come," Ciel announced the arrival of him, Alibaster, and victor. "This is no time to be playing with a puppy.

"Certainly," Sebastian nodded as Aurora placed Finn on the ground. "I will finish it off at once." Aurora frowned as she stared at the silver creature as it stood back up. Normally she wouldn't give a hound a second look but this one…it gave a strange feeling to her. "It smells irresistible, doesn't it dog? This is what you want, right?" Aurora watched as Sebastian pulled out a box of dog treats.

Alibaster pulled a face. "Why in the hell does everything that is so serious turns out to be a joke with this guy? This dog's trying to kill us and he pulls out a box of treats? How in the hell isn't he dead yet?"

"I believe, Ali," Aurora was shaking her head. "That we'll never know the answer to that." They all watched as the hound gave a happy howl and succumbed to Sebastian's tactic.

"There is only one way to treat a bad dog. You must train it to obey your every command."

Aurora's mouth dropped open, as she was sure everyone else's did, as Sebastian jumped onto the Hound's face and began to nibble on his nose before kicking it in the face. He went to give the hound a treat before punching it in the jaw. His constantly said 'Reward' and 'Punish' as he continued on with his 'training'.

"Jesus Christ, Sebastian!" Alibaster cried out as the hound went flying across the field. "You're gonna kill it!"

Sebastian just smiled as he hugged the hound before smashing it into the ground again. The hole in the ground was huge and everyone hurried forward to take a look inside.

"Quit dodling down in that hole!" Ciel called down. "Get back here right now!"

"Yes, sir." Sebastian called up. They all had to back up as a huge fountain of water shot up and sprayed all over them. "This village is intended to be a resort for the queen. It needs a central attraction." The man was floating on the top of the water, another man in his arms. As he continued to talk, Aurora found his voice drowning out.

This man had to be the dog. How it happened she didn't know. She just knew that there was going to be a problem. The man had shoulder length silver hair and fangs. His red eyes had slitted pupils and black toenails. And he was naked. She turned her head away, red rising to her cheeks. Alibaster took notice of the look on her face and a grin spread across his face.

"Pluto!" A voice cried out. They watched as the man jumped from Sebastian's arms and ran to Angela, jumping on her and licking her like a dog. "Good boy! My good boy!"

"I believe we deserve an explanation." Victor tapped his foot as he stared at the maid.

She nodded. "Yes, you're right." She took a seat and the man laid his head in his lap. Alibaster stepped forward and laid his jacket on the other man's waist, covering him. "I'm sorry for the confusion," Angela began. "This is Pluto. I found him last month. I've always been a big dog lover and he was so adorable. I absolutely had to take him in."

"You took in the naked man or the 13 foot tall beast?" Alibaster asked. Aurora elbowed him in the side.

"He does have a bad habit of turning human when he gets excited," Angela explained.

"A habit?" Baldaroy demanded. "You call it a habit!?"

"So you sheltered and fed his for a month without telling anybody else." Sebastian sighed.

"That's right. Lord Barrymore used the legend of the Demon Hound to control the villagers. But in truth he feared the hound more than anyone else. I didn't know what would happen to Pluto if he found out. I see now I was too indulgent. I never thought this sweet boy would hurt Barrymore." She glanced down at Pluto for a moment before lifting her head again. "I beg you, sir! Please take him with you! I know it's an imposition but would you bring him to live at the Phantomhive Manor? Or maybe with you at the Drakeford?" She looked at Alibaster.

"You want us to keep that monster?" Baldaroy demanded.

"I guess you can't really call it a monster anymore, can you?" Victor asked, rubbing his chin. "But still, a naked man running around the Manor…"

"He needs a firm hand." Angela continued. "I think if Sebastian were there to train him, or even you, Alibaster. Or maybe even Aurora could do it! If one of you trained him he would become a good dog."

"No thank you," Sebastian turned away.

"I'll have to agree." Aurora shook her head. "Sebastian and I are more…cat people, I should say." Angela's smile fell.

Ciel and Alibaster exchanged a secret look. "Why not?" both of them replied. Everyone looked at them in shock.

"Master," Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he looked at the child. "Is this an order?"

"It is." Ciel smiled. "I think I'll find it amusing."

"Just look at it this way, Auntie," Alibaster grinned. "You won't be bored during the day anymore." The woman hissed something in another language, a frown clear on her face, ignoring what happened next when the villagers approached the new hot spring. She didn't want to have anything to do with this but it seemed like she had no other way.

They stayed for a few days to try out the Hot Springs themselves as everything continued to be built. Alibaster and Victor helped build for a little but soon they were on their way, Pluto with them.

Angela had placed a collar around Pluto's neck and at first the hound was sad at being sent away from the other woman but eventually, much to everyone else's amusement, he found a replacement.

"No! Get off of me!" Aurora gave a growl, trying to push the man off of her.

"I thought dogs hated cats," Victor commented, watching as Pluto settled his head in her lap. He rubbed his face on her legs, settling in for a nap as the journey continued.

Alibaster grinned. "Who knows? Maybe he's a pussy-lover."

Aurora turned around and landed a punch in the young man's face. "Keep your dirty jokes to yourself!"


	11. Chapter 9

**_Not a long chapter_**

**_Chapter Nine_**

**_Phantom Image_**

**"Phantomhives servants are clearly starting to annoy me." **Aurora glanced up from the book in her hand. Alibaster had been the one speaking, staring out the window as he drank from his glass. "And not just them, but the brat as well. He's an idiot."

Victor sighed, sitting down across from the woman. He understood what Alibaster was talking about. Ciel had assigned the servants to take a photo of Sebastian that revealed what is most precious to the subject. It showed the dead. They had been trying to take a picture of Sebastian all day. They had even tried to take a picture of Aurora but Alibaster quickly put that to ends. Sebastian had been evading them as well, in the most funniest of manners.

They were in the library, Sebastian close by as he dusted and took care of some things. All four of them were completely aware of the three servants hiding behind a book case and Alibaster was trying to chase them out without actually letting them know that their cover was blown.

It wasn't working.

"Aurora, can I ask you to please replace your books in the right area when you are done reading them." Sebastian called over his shoulder.

The woman glanced up with a frown, her eyes slightly narrowed. "You seriously did not just make that comment to me, did you?" She asked him. "You know very well that I-" She was cut off by the library door bursting open and a naked man running it, jumping on her and settling his face to her's as he ran his tongue over her cheeks.

"Ahh! Pluto! Put some clothes on!" Victor grabbed the color around the man's neck and tried to pull him off of her but Pluto whined, holding onto the woman as hard as he could.

Alibaster was laughing as Sebastian chuckled. "It seems he likes cat's a bit too much."

"We are to have a guest this afternoon," Sebastian began to explain. "Perhaps the three of you will be able to take care of the pooch until afterwards."

Alibaster almost had his tea come squirting out of his nose. "You seriously did not just ask us that."

"Of course, I can have the other three take care of him, but Pluto seems to have taken an attachment to the lady here. He might run off searching for her instead of listening to orders and staying put."

"Have the other three take care of him," Aurora told him, standing up. Pluto slid off to the floor, staring up at her in confusion. "I don't want anything to do with it."

…

…

…

"How in the world did I get hooked up with this?" Aurora hung her head as Pluto happily pranced beside her.

The woman had been watched as Finny tried to drag the dog, now in his 13-foot-form. The dog had not wanted to leave the manor and with Finny's strength he was dragged behind him…until his fire breath had burnt the leash in half and he took off running to the manor again. She had arrived barely in time to save Sebastian and his little cat friend from being interrupted.

Alibaster was laughing at the woman as he walked beside her. Victor had stayed behind at the manor to help Sebastian take care of Paul Jones when he arrived.

"He just likes you, Aurora. You should feel happy."

"Happy over a naked dog-man that loves to rub all over me?" She growled.

"One would think that most women would be."

Aurora sighed, hanging her head as she finally paused at the large lake behind the Phantomhive house. "I just hope that all of this is over soon."

The three of them stayed out by the lake for an hour or two, watching as Aurora threw large pieces of bark for Pluto to go fetch, until Victor arrived to bring them back to the manor. He informed them of a plan that Ciel and the others had come up with, Lau involved as well. Aurora hung her head and decided to stay out of it, just watching from her bedroom window. Alibaster joined her.

"They're all morons." She sighed again as Pluto's howl went off through the night as the others set their objects into place.

"Yes, well, that wasn't something hard to figure out now, was is? It's kinda hard to miss it when you meet them. After all, Ciel is still just a child, no matter how hard he tries to convince himself and the others that he's not."

(FYI, Ciel annoys the shit out of me. I would have killed him a long time ago)

The huge explosion went off, catching their attention to behind the house as the dust and rubble went off. Sebastian had saved Ciel, no doubt about that. The fireworks then went off from the dragons as they got ready to take the picture.

"I swear to god that the two of them are gay," Alibaster sighed at the pose Sebastian and Ciel were in.

"Trust me," Aurora grinned. "Crow is not gay."

"And you know this from first hand. I have forgotten just how far back you and the other demon go back. You were even together with my mother and her brother all those years ago." He then frowned. "Even after he killed my uncle."

Aurora closed her eyes. "Sebastian is stronger than me, but not faster. I will not allow him to harm you or Victor when the time you slay the brat comes."

"Good." Alibaster turned to leave the room. "I would expect nothing less from the likes of you, Auntie."

Aurora sighed and closed her eyes as the door shut. Everything was becoming a pain as of late, making Aurora double think everything. She didn't know how long she laid there in bed that night, thinking over everything that would happen in the future when Alibaster finally decided to rid Ciel of his life, when there was whining outside of her bedroom window. It didn't take too long for her to figure out who it was.

"Go away!" She hissed at the naked man pressed against her window, begging for entrance. Her order was ignored and so, she in turn, tried to ignore him. It didn't last very long. She finally gave in and opened her window. Pluto hopped in with a happy bark before curling himself up on the foot of her bed. She stared at him for a moment before crawling back into bed herself, not really carrying at the moment as the dog nuzzeled closer to her side as they both fell to sleep.


	12. Chapter 10

**_Chapter Ten_**

**_On Ice_**

**"Are you mad at me?"**

"Hmm. No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sebastian."

"You don't hate me?" Her finger's paused. "Despise me?"

Aurora closed her eyes. "Why would you ask that?"

"Nearly 30 years of no contact? No word? I hardly think that I need to explain."

She was silent. Sebastian thought that she wasn't going to answer him for a moment. "I asked you not to," She began. "Pleaded. Begged. Leave Reymond alone. Told you that I'd do anything for you. But you didn't. You took him away. Wounded me. I could barely move. You killed him, ripping the child I had come to care for from my arms." Sebastian closed his eyes, remembering that night in his mind.

**_"No!"_**_ Reymond immediately answered him, throwing his arms out to block his sister. "Take me," Reymond offered himself. "Take me instead of my sister."_

_Aurora couldn't move. This was insane! Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't he just wait a bit longer? She wasn't stupid. She was a demon just like him and so she knew everything but still…she had to ask herself why._

_Vincent gave a smile before taking a step towards the child. "One would think that taking the girl and the child with her would be the better bet, but I won't argue with you, Master." He teased._

_"No!" Ramona screamed. "Aurora! Stop him!"_

_Aurora had no other choice. She was still under the orders of the children. She had to do what they said. She hurried forward, her fist impacting into the side of Vincent's face and shoving him through the window and out into the rain. She jumped down after him._

_Why? Why was this happening? Aurora had let herself get too attached to the Drakeford twins and now she was in trouble. Vincent was about to take Ramona but her time wasn't up yet. She had to protect the two of them until one had a child or they reached a certain age. Ramona was pregnant now but she still had nine months to wait if she was going to keep the child and if she didn't keep it, she would be with them longer. She shouldn't have thought that she and Vincent would stay there together for a while. Not at a time like this. Why hadn't she thought about this before? She let her mind get to wrapped up. This…all that was about to happen was her fault._

_Vincent pushed himself to his feet with a small smile still on his face as he stared at the torn woman before him. He felt his own heart ripping apart inside of him but he hid it away. He knew that a fight between the two of them was going to happen. That was why he moved the night of the dance. He wanted to be with her before they were torn apart. He had taken to how attached the love of his life had gotten to the children and knew that they were going to be put against the other. He had tried to push her out of it but she didn't listen. And now…_

_"You know that I don't want to do this, Cat." He told her._

_"Then don't," She pleaded with him. "Please! Don't…don't do this!"_

_Vincent closed his eyes. "You let yourself get too attached. I remember that something like this happened between us last time we worked together. You and I just played with eachother before I 'lost' and let you take the man's soul. I thought that this would be the same, but I see that it won't be. You lost yourself in the job, Cat."_

_"Maybe…maybe I did," Aurora gripped her fists with a firm voice. "But…but I refuse to let you do this. They're children. They have so much to live for. So much to experience. Can't you just…just let it go? Just this once?" He opened his eyes and stared at her again. Behind her, Victor, Ramona, and Reymond all peered out of the back door to watch. "I will do anything that you want. Just don't…don't do this. Please."_

_Vincent closed his eyes again, biting his lip. She was pleading him. Her voice…her angst ripping through him painfully. He had sworn to himself that he would never let her fall into pain again and yet, here he was, causing her the pain. "I'm sorry, Cat."_

_Aurora stared at him for a moment before setting her eyes firmly. "So am I, Crow."_

_Victor's eyes widened in a mix of fear and amazement as he watched the two demons fight. Their power was immense as the two punched and slashed at eachother with unseen weapons. Ramona and Reymond tried to say something but he ignored them, watching as Aurora's kick landed on Vincent's face._

_Vincent pushed himself to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth. Neither of them was using their full strength and yet she was still beating him. He knew that holding back against her wasn't going to be hard but if she was doing this, he had no other choice. No matter who she was, he WAS NOT going to lose. There was only one thing left to do._

_Aurora's eyes widened as a swirl of black feather encircled around the man she was fighting. She felt a ping of fear, knowing what was happening but she couldn't stop. She wouldn't stop!_

_The feather disappeared leaving the demon before her in his true form. She remembered the last time that she had seen him like this…and the last time that she had been afraid. His longer, white fangs glinted beneath the moonlight and his pupils took their slitted form as his fuchsia irises glowed as he stared at her. She took note of his claws, his shower of black feathers, his black boots…and the scream from Ramona behind her made her close her eyes. If Vincent was going to transform then she had to._

_The Tiger and the Crow stared at eachother for just a moment before they rushed at eachother. Victor tried to keep his eyes on their movement but the demons were too fast. He heard grunts and growls and the sounds of hits but nothing was seen except for the blood that littered across the grass before him. He knew that this was not the time for this, but he was fascinated. To see two demons at the height of their power, the two of the strongest people he had ever met, it was breathtaking. The feel he got from them…it was unimaginable._

_The battle did not last for long now. With their powers fully open, they could tell that one was stronger than the other. They all wondered who and it was answered when something was smashed into the Manor, crumbling the wall and flying through the house. The sounds of another crashing told the three of them that whoever had been sent flying had been forced through the other side of the manor. Ramona was praying that Aurora had been the one to send Vincent through the manor but as the transformed man walked toward them hole in the manor, the young child threw her head back and screamed._

_The moment that Vincent had transformed, Aurora knew that she wasn't going to be able to defeat him. She was strong, but nowhere near as powerful as Vincent was. She knew that fighting would have been worthless, but she had to try. She had to try. At Ramona's scream, she lifted her head. The blows she had received were horrible. She knew that bruises would form next to the blood and she was sure that there was now a large footprint on her chest from where Vincent sent her through the manor. She was confident that her back was going to be just as worse from breaking through the walls._

_Aurora struggled to her feet and hurried as much as she could to try and get to the children before Vincent could, but she knew that it was impossible now. Not when she fell to her knees in the manor. Vincent's kick hadn't crushed her lungs but she was sure that it had done something horrible._

_Pulling herself out of the house, she turned to where the children had been standing and pain stabbed her heart. Victor was crumbled on the grass, blood seeping from his face and head. He had tried to keep Vincent from reaching the twins but if Aurora hadn't been able to stop him, he was nowhere near a match at all. She turned her head to find Ramona leaning over her brother's body. Already it had grown a pale white as his blank eyes stared above them at the stars in the night sky. Ramona's cries were loud as she cried for Vincent to bring her brother back to her._

_The Crow was already gone. He had left them…he had left Aurora behind once again. She still felt pain for the child dying but her pain of being left behind was worse than any of it. She beat the ground with a roar, begging for all of this to be a dream._

**"But I do not blame you."** She opened her eyes and continued to run her fingers down his back. His skin was warm as they just laid there in Sebastian's sheets. Aurora had come to him last night, neither of them able to hold back any longer. "You were right. I had become too attached to the twins, thinking of them as my own. As ours." Sebastian paused in surprise before rolling around to stare down at the woman beside him. "I pictured us, all of us, as a family. It was something that I shouldn't have done. Shouldn't have believed. I shouldn't have thought that you would stay there with me as I took care of the children. I shouldn't have believed that I…that we…" Her voice began to break.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him as her body shivered. He hadn't known that her feelings had been that…serious. She saw them as her children. THEIR children, not just something close to her. If he had known that…God, what a fool he was! He had hurt the woman her loved, she was unhealable now. This would follow her for the rest of her life, and at the hands of the man that swore he would keep her safe. How could he make her forgive him.

"I won't…I won't let it happen again." Aurora's voice had strengthened again. "Alibaster is the last. He is an adult and he can chose his own path, but I'll watch over him until he no longer needs me and after that, nothing more. I'll never grow to anyone again. Never like this. Except you, Crow. If you'll still have me."

Sebastian bit his bottom lip. He was the one that had caused her so much pain and yet, here she was, asking him for forgiveness. "I should be asking you for forgiveness, Aurora. I was the one to-"

"No," She shook her head. "We were both at fault, I more than you. I-"

"Cat!" The man's voice was fierce, cutting her off. He had sat up, dragging her up with him. He stared at her, his hands on her shoulders as the covers slid down. "How can you say that? I beat you! Pulverized you in mind and body. You don't think I know the wounds that I put on you? The cuts. The gashes. The bruises. I smashed you through the manor. The pain you must have felt because I…" ~Was too blind to see what you felt~ "Never again, Cat," Sebastian pulled the woman into his body again. "I will never let you feel pain like that again. Not from anyone, especially not from me! And never again will I leave you alone like that. Never again."

Aurora closed her eyes, resting her face in the crook of his shoulder as her arms wrapped across his back. The silence sealed his promise, and her's as well.

**_~In this desert_**

**_In darkness_**

**_Lying with the gun across his chest~_**

**There was a festival going on today on the frozen river of Thames. **The entire city was there, enjoying games and food. Alibaster and Victor had drifted off somewhere on their won, leaving Aurora with Sebastian and Ciel. This reminded Aurora of the winter's night they spent in the city with Vincent Phantomhive and the Drakeford twins all those years ago. Ciel's annoyed face was ruining it for her, though, as well as his comments. Sebastian gave her a smile as he laced his fingers through hers.

"Is there something amusing?" Sebastian asked as the trio paused in the middle of the tents. Ciel had turned his head and smiled at something in one of the tents.

"Those goods are all of dubious quantity. Phantom should be the star. Any of ours is better than what that man is selling."

"Stop being so foul." Aurora told the child. "Not everyone has the money to pay for your toys. Especially at your prices."

"If they can't, then they don't deserve them."

"For your father to hear you say that," Aurora shook her head. "I wonder how he would feel." She moved forward and took a better look at a few of the things. A boat caught her attention.

"Ahh, you have an eye, Madam." The seller smiled at her. "That piece is one of a kind. It was manufactured by the Phantom toy company years ago, back when it was still only just a small craft studio."

Aurora turned her head, not caring to hear what came out of Ciel's mouth this time. As the talk turned from the 'arrogant' tale of Noah's Ark, she sighed when Ceil teased one of the officers of Scotland Yard.

"Stop being a brat, Ciel. That's why no one likes you." A deep voice joined them.

"Ahh, Alibaster!" Aurora smiled. "Victor. Find anything useful or wanting?"

"No, not really." Alibaster sighed himself this time.

"I found something, but I'm not going to show it to you." Victor smiled. "Not yet, anyway."

Aurora raised a brow as the three men continued to argue with eachother behind her and the duo before her. "Why does Ciel have to be such an asshole?"

"Because he's a prick that wants pity and he's not getting it." Alibaster watched as Ciel joined the inspector inside one of the small buildings for something to drink. By the Chinese look of it, she had no doubt that Lau was in on it.

"Yes, Ciel is not amusing me in the least," Victor crossed his arms. "When can we leave?"

"After I kill him." Alibaster replied. "But I refuse to kill children so we have to wait. Either that, or wait until Sebastian goes to take his soul and then do his job for him. I won't let your boyfriend take my revenge from me, Aurora." The redhead gave a grin. "So, what exactly are we going to do here? We're leaving soon, right?"

"Didn't find anything that you enjoyed?" She asked him.

Alibaster shrugged. "Not really, and no really good looking women, either. It's boring."

"Don't you want to know what the Inspector needs help with?" the woman asked.

"No, not really. Some guy died; who cares?"

Aurora opened her mouth to reply but a small tune caught her attention. It came from further in the crowd and she turned her head to look for where it was coming from but she found nothing. It was further in the crowd. It seemed very familiar to her for some reason, and it puzzled her as to why.

"Aurora, are you all right?" Victor placed a hand on her shoulder, dragging her attention back to the men.

"Of course." She smiled at him. The music had stopped. "We can leave, but I would like to see the ice-sculpting contest before we do so."

"I can survive that." Alibaster gave a grin as he took her left arm. "I shall go and get you the best seats in the house, Auntie."

"Cat! Cat!" The voice caught their attention and they turned to find Melony, Aurora's sister, hurrying to them, one of Undertakers long, black cloaks over her shoulders.

"Snake!" Aurora turned from Alibaster and opened her arms to take her sister's hug. "It's good to see you. Is Undertaker not here with you?"

"No," Melony was in a bright mood today, her cheeks a rosy color from the weather. "Ciel and some other cop dude came to talk to him so I left to find you. With Crow hanging around, I knew you weren't too far away."

"What in the hell is that little brat doing now?" Alibaster growled, stomping off into the crowd.

Melony watched him for a moment before turning back to the two left with her. "Cat, please tell me that you're going to stay for the contest."

"Of course," her elder sister nodded. "We were just on our way to find seats. Would you like to join us?"

"Of course! I've been waiting all day for this!"

"Then here," Victor took an arm of both of them. "Allow me to escort you there."

The trio made their way to view the show, enjoying themselves with talk and laughter until the show actually began.

"You cannot be serious." Victor moaned, slapping a hand over his face.

Aurora didn't know what the hell was going on, but Sebastian had somehow ended up in the contest, Alibaster as well. "What in the hell are they doing?"

"They're trying to win that blue ring there," A voice joined them as a pair of hands slipped over Melony's shoulders as the contest continued. "It seems that it's something that everybody wants."

"Good afternoon, Undertaker." Aurora smiled at the man behind her sister.

"Afternoon, My Lady. How be you in the cold?"

"I believe that the both of us know the answer to that question." She smiled.

Melony and he both gave a laugh. "Indeed we do."

"Alibaster is a moron." Victor hissed. "He's only in the contest because Ciel ordered Sebastian into it, isn't he?"

"Hmm," Aurora smiled, watching as the carving continued. "Most likely."

"Alibaster isn't going to win, is he?"

"Most likely not."

The Scotland Yard had made a sculpture of their Captain and was saluting to him. Melony and Undertaker collapsed into eachother, laughing. It made aurora give a laugh herself as Victor just shook his head. The score was 5.

Next was Lau's entry of a naked, Chinese woman. More laughter. The sculpture was disqualified, though he did get a score of ten from Aleister Chamber.

Alibaster's sculpture was that of a dragon. The magnificent beast, its wings stretched out, received the largest praise as of yet, earning the score of 45.

Sebastian's sculpture was Noah's Ark, receiving praises. They were nowhere nearas loud as Alibaster's had been, the said man giving the butler a smirk, until Sebastian revealed the hidden animals inside the ark. Aurora slapped a hand over her face as Alibaster's face flared up. Sebastian's score would have been the highest, no doubt, until someone stopped them.

Aurora just turned from the scene as Sebastian moved to keep the crazed trio from destroying everything on a pair of ice skates.

"Your boyfriend is quite the showoff." Melony chuckled as Undertaker rested his head on her shoulder.

"And yours is quite…abnormal."

"Yeah," Victor nodded. "Both of you have an odd taste in men."

"No, we're simply…" Both women glanced at eachother as the dynamite blew up the ice. "The odd women. Those important to us are normal."

Victor glanced at the Undertaker as he chuckled at an inside joke and Sebastian and Ciel stood on the ark as the sun began to set. "Yeah, the two of them are very, very normal." His tone was sarcastic.

Melony sighed and glanced at her sister again. "So, the Undertaker and I are going out tomorrow night. You think you can drag Sebastian away from that brat long enough to join us?"

"Going out tomorrow?" Aurora closed her eyes. "For Serah, perhaps?"

"Yes," She nodded with a small smile.

Aurora opened her eyes again. "Whether or not Sebastian chooses to come, I'll be there."

"Serah?" Victor raised a brow. "Who is that?"

Both the sisters gave a soft, sad smile as the elder replied. "Someone very important to us, Victor. Maybe I'll tell you, one day."


	13. Chapter 11

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Melony, Alibaster, and Victor are mine.**

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_**However You Please**_

"_**1, 2, The demons are coming for you**_

_3, 4, They won't knock on your door_

_5, 6, Watch the Clock Tick_

_7, 8, They won't be late_

_9, 10, You'll never be see again."_

Aurora lifted her head and glanced at Victor. "Why are you singing that?"

The man smiled at her. "No reason, really," He answered. "Just something I remember."

"You created that, didn't you?" She asked him. "All those years ago."

"Yes," He nodded, setting the clothes on her bed. "When you and Sebastian went to go save Remora that night. It was the first thing I had ever said, since the death of my parents." He opened her door. "Alibaster was calling you, Aurora. He's down stairs in the kitchen."

"Hmm," Aurora closed the book she had been reading and followed him from her room. He turned to head off to his own room, leaving her to go on her own until she ran into Ciel coming the opposite way. "Good morning."

"Morning." The boy greeted. She was pleased to find out that the child was in a pleasant mood today. In fact, he tried the hardest to be calm and pleasant when around the older woman. He didn't like to admit it, but he did like her. She held a…strange feeling to him. A feeling that he enjoyed having. Something like an aunt, or an older sister. Again, as said before, he wouldn't admit it though.

Alibaster froze as the front door burst open and Elizabeth ran across the manor, jumping on the 12-year-old on the stairs.

"Here," Elizabeth placed a box in his hand. "This is for you. Open it, okay?"

"What the hell is going on?" the older Lord asked.

"It is Ciel's birthday, it seems." Aurora told him as she stepped off of the steps. She watched as Elizabeth talked about the gift and the ring on Ciel's hand. She gave a soft smile. "If they can't figure out that she bought him a replacement ring after breaking it last time, then they're stupid."

"They're stupid." Alibaster assured her as Elizabeth and her maid left the manor just as quick as they entered.

"She came here to ring some bells for me." Ciel said aloud, staring at the door.

"Tomorrow is your birthday, young master," Sebastian began. "I'm sure that's why she came."

"It's your birthday, huh?" Alibaster asked as he moved up the stairs. "13, right?"

"Yes…" Ciel replied softly.

"So, what do you think?" The butler asked. "Shall we hold a birthday party? It seems that some people would like to celebrate with you." At his words, they all took notice of the four servants peeking out from around a pillar.

"Tomorrow…" The boy repeated. "Is my birthday." He stayed silent, thinking to himself before turning to leave.

"Master?" Sebastian glanced after him.

"This is ridiculous. Bring me my tea."

"Right away." Sebastian gave a short bow.

"What is it that you wanted, Alibaster?" Aurora turned to the man.

Alibaster was still staring after Ciel for a moment before glancing back at the woman. "Yes…I was just asking how things went last night."

"Last night?"

"Yes, with your sister."

Aurora closed her eyes. She had joined Melony and Undertaker last night for their trip to visit Serah. Sebastian had gone with them, having set Ciel to bed early that night. The trip had been…normal, considering how they normally went along every year.

"It was fine." She answered him. "Same as it always is."

"Serah," Alibaster sighed. "Melony told me that she is the youngest sister of the three of you. Tell me, when do I get to meet her?"

Aurora turned from the man. "You don't."

Alibaster followed her up the stairs. "What? Why not? Don't tell me she's worse than you and Melony put together?"

Aurora's small smile was sad as she paused, glancing back at the man. "Serah is dead."

_**~It isn't a crime to want  
A little space to breathe  
But you will be fine  
The sun again will shine on you  
Whatever you do~**_

"**You…you knew my father as a child,"** Ciel began. "What was he like?"

Aurora hadn't been expecting Ciel to ask her that. He had called her to his office that night, having been in there all day. The boy was not happy about his birthday being the next day and had been locked in their since Elizabeth had left the manor. Aurora had been helping Victor to take care of Pluto in the backyard before being called upstairs.

She sat there, staring at the boy across the desk from her. At the thought of Vincent, she lifted her hand and began to play with the locket hanging around her neck. It had a picture of the young boy on one side, the other picture being of the Drakeford twins from those years ago.

"Your father was not like you at all." She told him. "But at the same time he didn't go through what you did."

Ciel stared at him. "How…how do you know what I went through?"

"Sebastian told me." She answered him. "I had to save Ramona from that all those years ago. I had thought that I put an end to all of it, but it seems that I haven't." She glanced away, letting go of the locket as the phone began to ring. Things were silent for about five more minutes before Sebastian joined them in the room to announce what the phone call had been about.

"Elizabeth's disappeared?" Ciel asked in shock.

"Yes," Sebastian nodded. "Her maid said she lost track of her when they were stuck in traffic.

"Then that's where we're headed." Ciel stood up. "What was she thinking? Honestly?"

"First, you should look at this." Aurora grabbed the letter from the tray Sebastian held and passed it over to Ciel.

"Scotland Yards has been investigating a series of kidnappings," The boy began to tell them. "The targets are always young girls. Their bodies have not turned up yet, but they're most likely dead. The kidnapper sends a piece of the Hope Diamond to each of his victims before taking them. The diamond says to bring a curse to whoever owns it. The gem we were recently chasing after. Who knew that we'd hear about it again like this?"

"What now, my Lord?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel set his letter down. "We do what the Queen has asked of us. That is always our first priority. My job as guardian of the Underworld."

Aurora and Alibaster joined Ciel and Sebastian in the carriage. Aurora had planned on staying at the manor but Alibaster refused to let Ciel and Sebastian go off on their own on such a serious case as this. He had asked Aurora to come with him and so she had.

"Sebastian." Ciel began.

"What is it?" The demon looked at him.

"Are you prepared? I have an order to give you."

"Yes?"

"Question everyone who knew the victims. Friends. Family. And make up a suspect list. Get name and addresses. Then search the crime scenes. It shouldn't take long. Three hours should be enough."

"You could say please, you know." Alibaster told the young boy.

Ciel ignored him. "While you're seeing to that, I have other business to take care of. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly, sir."

Ciel closed his eyes. "Then hurry and get on with it."

"Of course. As you wish, my Lord." He turned to open the door but glanced back at Aurora. "Would you like to come along?" The woman went to stand with a smile but Ciel paused her.

"I want her to stay with me." He told them all.

Alibaster raised a brow. "Is that right? Any reasons why?"

"What's wrong Sebastian," Ciel glanced at his butler. "Can't you do it on your own?"

Sebastian gave a small smile, though Aurora knew it was fake. "Of course, sir."

Aurora closed her eyes as the other demon left. "Very wrong of you, Ciel."

"Heh,"

The trio arrived to the city, moving down the street on their own.

"Paula said she lost Lizzie somewhere around here." Ciel began and then frowned. "But why did he have to come along!?"

Alibaster gave a laugh as he looked at Aurora's feet. Pluto sat there like a dog, though in his human form and dressed in a suit as he gave a bark. "What can I say? He follows Aurora everywhere she goes." He clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. He won't be too much of a problem."

"Speak for yourself." Aurora grunted under her breath. She glanced at Pluto has he rubbed his head against her leg. A small smile spread across her lips as she patted him on top of his head. He gave a pleased bark.

"Well, anyway," Ciel began. "He's a dog, which means he can track scents, can't he?" He pulled a red ribbon out of his pocket and knelt down beside Pluto. "Here's the ribbon from Lizzie's gift." Pluto gave a sniff, sneezed, and began to scratch his neck. Ciel began to curse at him but Aurora shot him a look, making him stop as Pluto ran off down the alley. Ciel held the leash so he was dragged behind him.

"Oh, why do you have to start looking for a mate now?" Ciel cried as Alibaster laughed.

"Oh, a man looking for a mate?" A voice reached them. "Perhaps I can help!" the other dog ran off with a bark.

"Oh no," Alibaster sighed. "I think I know who it is."

All three of them glanced up at the man standing on the roof above them. "I am a hunter of love, and at last, my prey is before me. Red is the color of fiery passion and I am flaming. A gorgeous man!" He turned and pointed at Pluto. "Right there!"

"You again?" Ciel growled at Grell.

"A deadly, efficient butler! That's me!" Grell gave a look as he spiked his fingers and stuck out a tongue. Aurora frowned. "Though, I do find myself master-less at the moment." Grell jumped down before them.

"Auntie," Alibaster glared at the redhead. "Go and grab that other Reaper from last time. I don't want this moron here with us."

"After the Madam Red incident I was temporarily demoted. And now I only get the lowliest of jobs. That brute Will told me that I wouldn't get my job back until I collect some truly, troubles souls. Rotten Sadist."

"Hmm, no wonder you two get along." Alibaster teased Aurora as Grell continued to talk. He glanced back at the redhead. "This guy's a freak."

"Let's just leave him behind." Aurora offered.

"Oh, you aren't considering avenging your Aunt Red, are you?" Grell asked Ciel. "That would just be silly."

"You shut up!" Ciel told him.

"Now, now, be nice. I don't see Bassy anywhere. What could a brat like you do without him?"

"Aurora could handle you, no doubt on that." Alibaster smirked. "Wanna try it?"

"Ah, yes. The other demon." Grell glared at her. "I told Alan Humphries about running into you. He can't wait to see you again!"

"I'll be waiting for him." Aurora smiled as Pluto began to growl at him. "Tell him to come whenever he likes."

"Oh, is he your protector of the evening?" Grell asked. "Why does this little kid get all the good looking men?" Ciel let go of the leash and Pluto ran forward with a growl. Grell pulled a loving face. "Oh! He's going to attack me! How exciting! I'm all yours, but please be gentle!" He spread his arms out but Pluto ran right past him, the others all following the dog.

"What a freak." Alibaster shook his head.

"Indeed." Aurora nodded.

Pluto led them to a window. There was doll sitting there. A doll that looked a lot like Lizzie.

"Let's see here," Aurora turned to see Grell standing behind them, looking through a large book. "Number 493 on the to-die list. A Mr. Drossel Keinz." The window shattered and they turned back to it. Aurora gave a small chuckle. Pluto had busted into the store, grabbing the doll. He turned and gave it to Ciel.

"Well, well," Alibaster had moved to the opened door. "Looks like someone lives here." The other joined him to look up at the large manor.

"Goodness," Grell smiled. "Not exactly the most welcoming of places, now is it?"

"Indeed it is not." Aurora placed a hand on her hip as Pluto sat on her feet again.

"So, are you going inside with us, or what?" Alibaster asked.

The Reaper glanced at him. "And just why would I do that?"

"Well, I could give you something in return for it." Alibaster gave him a smile. "Like pictures of Sebastian."

"P-Pictures?" Grell looked like he was about to cry.

"Naked ones."

Blood came spraying out of Grell's nose and he turned away with giggles. Aurora raised a brow. "Why?" Was all she asked.

"Because," Alibaster whispered to he and Ciel. "If there's someone in there, Grell can take all the wounds and deal with it while we save Elizabeth."

"All right, you have a deal!" Grell told them, cleaning his face as he continued to blush. He shoved the doors open. "All right! Here we go!"

Standing in front of them was a young girl. One of the ones that had been kidnapped.

"Hey, look," Grell began as they moved closer. "That ring's a lot like yours, isn't it?"

Aurora took a closer look at the girl. She looked like Ramona, believe it or not. Just a different hair color.

Alibaster gave a jump as the doll began to move. She grasped Ciel's throat. Aurora gave a frown before grabbing the hand and pulling it off of the young boy.

"So, you're trying to show that you're better than me, are you?" Grell growled at the woman. "Well, I have my Death Scythe, so I know I am better!" They all watched as the Reaper pulled his Scythe out; Alibaster broke out into laughter.

"But aren't those just scissors?" Ciel asked him.

"What do you want me to do?" Grell cried. "Will took away my personal modified Death Scythe. I miss it so much!" He glared at Aurora. "You fault, as you should know." He turned back to the girl as she moved towards them again and ran forward to attack. Ciel tried to stop him but he ignored it. The girl's head fell off, revealing sand pouring out of it.

"Maybe she was a doll, after all." Ciel glanced her over again.

"_Wood and clay will wash away." _The voice grabbed their attention towards the doors across from them as they opened. "_Wash away. Wash away." _They watched as a man walked forward, a set of candles in his right hand. "What a useless doll. She was an utter failure. So then I thought to myself: In order to succeed, I must make them considerably stronger than this."

He looked to be in his late teens or early twenties with ginger hair cut into flares and amethyst eyes. He wore blue and pink eye shadow to accentuate as a blue fleur-de-lis is painted beneath this right eye. He was wearing a blue tailcoat, gold piping, and a red ribbon tied in a bow around his neck and a black top hat decorated with a red ribbon and two black feathers. He wore short black pants, white gloves, knee-high black and white stripped socks and black boots with gold buttons.

He lifted up his hand and began to wave it as he continued to sing. AS he sang, more dolls moved out to them from the shadows before the man backed into the shadows again.

"I've seen them before," Ciel gasped.

"I'm not going to let anyone take away my pictures of dear, sweet Bassy!" Grell cried, running forward to attack the dolls but his attack did nothing. He was sent flying back.

"Metal dolls now, huh?" Alibaster grunted. "What to do now, I wonder." He glanced at Aurora.

"Grell, this is an order. You and Pluto stay here and keep the dolls occupied for as long as it takes." Ciel told the Reaper.

"You're going to leave me here?" Grell cried out as Ciel ran after the man. "Not very human of you."

"Don't complain," Alibaster grabbed his shirt and pulled him to his feet. "Besides, I'm here so stop whining." He looked at Aurora. "You go and make sure Ciel doesn't get himself killed, got it? He's mine to take care of and no one else's."

Aurora gave a nod before moving after the young boy, leaving the three men behind with the dolls. They hurried up the stairs and into a large, ballroom-like place.

"Ciel Phantomhive," The man's voice called to them. They glanced up to find him sitting on the railing above them. "You are, indeed, a beautiful specimen. I'll have to make you into a doll of such exquisite beauty. And you," He looked at Aurora. "The same goes for you. Of all that I have come across, it is honest when I tell you that you're the most beautiful; even though you're not human."

Aurora gave a smirk. "I'm surprised that you can tell. How do you know, if I can ask?"

"You," He tilted his head to the side. "I remember you. You were the woman that saved me and the others from the Dolsen slave ring all those years ago."

Aurora closed her eyes, thinking for a moment. The memory of the young boy that had hugged her on that horrid night came back to her and she gave a soft smile. "I remember you too."

"I swore that I would find you again," He told her. "And here you are."

She was silent for a moment. "What is your name?"

"Drossel. Drossel Keinz."

Aurora gave a frown. This was the name that Grell had announced to be after.

"What have you done with Elizabeth?" Ciel demanded, not caring about the words passing between him and the demon.

Drossel ignored him. "Now what material shall I use for you? Clay will wash away too easily, but iron is far too crude for you. So then, I thought to myself," He began to sing again about silver and gold as Ciel ran to the other door. Aurora watched after him, raising a brow as the masks on the wall began to sing as well, before hurrying after the child as he ran up the next flight of stairs and into the next room.

"Ciel, are you…" Aurora's voice caught as she took notice of the purple form on the floor. Instantly anger began to spread through her. The Purple symbol was from the Dolsen Slave Ring. Ciel's face turned into shock and she wrapped her arms around the child, blocking the symbol from his sight. He didn't move for a moment before he lifted his hands, grabbing ahold of her jacket. Aurora's back was too the window, but she knew when HE arrived.

"Truly master," The voice called out. "Nothing good ever happens on your birthday, does it?" Ciel pulled away from Aurora, his hands still clutching to her jacket, and stared at Sebastian as he sat on the window sill. "You lost your parents. Your home. And this time, you stand to lose Lady Elizabeth."

**I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	14. Chapter 12

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Melony, Alibaster, and Victor are mine.**

_**Chapter Twelve**_

_**Forlorn**_

"**Sebastian!" Ciel cried, staring at the demon that say there in the windowsill before him and the other demon he continued to cling too. **He felt, just for that moment, that if he were to let her go… "Take that back," He ordered. "Right now!"

"What do you mean?" The man sitting on the windowsill asked.

"I don't like you taunting me!" Ciel cried, his grip tightening.

Sebastian closed his eyes with a small smile. "Master, earlier you informed me about some business to take care of. This business of yours…did it include endangering yourself and…others?" They all knew who he referred to. "In a misguided attempt to change your past?" He raised a hand as Ciel frowned. "Do you remember what you said at the Frost Fair? About your body? About your ring? What you said was both had been shattered and reborn. That you no longer had the fear of being broken yourself."

"I remember," Ciel growled. "You don't need to remind me." At that moment, Drossel's voice began to sing again and Ciel's grip grew as tight as it could on Aurora's jacket. The door before them burst open and the girl puppets from below filed in. "This means that they defeated Grell and Alibaster!"

"Interesting." Sebastian stood up as Aurora pulled Ciel behind her body, blocking him from the puppets. "It seems that they are being control through that singing." Aurora watched as Sebastian began to sing himself, this time the lyrics being 'Iron and Steel will bend and bow.' Aurora felt a little nervous for Alibaster as Sebastian took care of the enemy, but she had faith that the man was still safe. If worse came to worse, Alibaster would have run away to fight another day.

"Who are you calling a lady?" Ciel growled after Sebastian had bowed at their feet.

"Why, the one beside you of course, my Lord." The butler answered with his cute smile. "Now, my young master, let us go."

"I think not." Aurora stared at Drossel for a moment, reliving the events of when she first saw him all those years ago.

_**The stone area smelled of blood and dirt that you would find in a prison. **__Rotten food. Urine. Feces. And it rang with sniffles and cries as blows landed. Fear rebounded off of the walls. Fear and anger._

_"Where is she?" Aurora's voice roared. As they turned the final corner, Vincent's eyes widened. There were cages and cages lined up on the walls with multiple children inside them. The ages were from 4-14 and by the looks of their clothes, some of them had been there for a few days and others for a lot longer._

_Aurora had the guard by his collar and was shaking him as she demanded to know where Ramona was. The man just smiled at her and stayed silent before she grew tired of it and smashed his head into the wall._

_"Melony," Undertaker was already unlocking the cages, a solemn look on his face as he ushered the scared and frightened children out. All of them rushed past Aurora, some in fear of her, and followed Melony up the stairs. Vincent watched as one of the boys though, with light orange hair and amethyst eyes, paused for a moment before throwing his arms around her. Aurora was still for a moment before placing a hand on the top of his head._

_"You're…you're here for Ramona, aren't you?" He asked her._

_Aurora's head popped up. "Yes. Do you know where they took her? Is she alright?"_

_The boy nodded his head. "She was scared. They came down this morning and took her upstairs. We…we could hear her screams. All day she begged them to stop, to not…" The boy burst out into tears and Undertaker came over and picked him up before turning and taking him after the others._

**To think, after saving him from that, he would just end up right back into their arms. **It made Aurora…sad. Sad…and furious.

"Ciel Phantomhive," Drossel began, that music box in his hands again. "You are now the property of my master."

Ciel stepped around Aurora in anger. "Property? Who do you think-"

"The proof is there. You're marked by the very ring you're wearing." Ciel glanced down at the Phantomhive ring on his finger. "I know what it is. That is a Hope Piece, the same gem my master sends as a token to those who are destined to become his dolls."

"What master?" Sebastian demanded.

"It's been decided Ciel Phantomhive is going to become a doll. An exquisite doll made up of silver and gold."

"_Silver and gold will be stolen away,_" Sebastian began to wave a finger as he sang. Drossel pulled a face as Sebastian picked the child up in his arms and out the window they flew.

"He was indeed stolen away," Drossel sighed as he fell to the middle of the floor. "However, I invented to myself, Ciel Phantomhive will return; whether he wants too or not."

"Much like you did, am I right?" Aurora's voice made him look up at the demon that still stood in the room with him.

Drossel tilted his head to the side. "Indeed, it seems…"

Aurora closed her eyes before kneeling on the floor in front of the man and placing a calm hand on his head. She had been right. Drossel was no longer human. He was a puppet himself, and being controlled. She could feel it…and it was familiar, somehow. She had come across this power before, but how? Who was it? She couldn't place it…

"I am so sorry, Drossel Keinz." Aurora told him. "Perhaps, if I had known, I could have kept you from going through…this." She opened her eyes and locked with the amethyst ones staring at her in silence. "I cannot change you back, but I can set your free of this torment, if you wish. And revenge, you shall have."

As the silence ticked on, a small smile seemed to fight to stretch out across his face as his head tilted to the side. "Just…a little longer…"

_**~There is no color to our meeting**_

_**It blows through in monochrome.**_

_**I go where your cool fingers beckon me~**_

**Alibaster was furious! **Pluto's constant howling's and barking's were annoying him as they stood outside of the large tower. Grell didn't seem too pleased about it either as he tried to contain the animal still in his human form as he tried to run for the tower doors.

"Hey now!" The redhead cried. "Calm down! What's wrong with you, puppy?"

"He apparently smells Elizabeth," Alibaster answered him. "Or something else that he likes."

"Well this is a surprise," Ciel's voice made them turn to find Sebastian and the child coming up behind him. "You're still alive."

Grell took this moment to jump on Sebastian just to be beaten to him by Pluto. Alibaster took another look over the duo and then frowned.

"Where is Aurora?" Ciel opened his mouth to answer before glancing back at the manor behind them. Alibaster gave the child a furious look. "You lft her there by herself!?"

"The lady can surely take care of herself," Sebastian told the man as Pluto continued to hang onto him. "Saying anything but will surely hurt her feelings."

"I don't care about her feelings, dammit!" Alibaster took a step forward. "I care about her being safe."

"And though I do appreciate the thought, I can take care of myself." They turned at the voice to find Aurora standing at the door of the tower. "Now, are we going in or not?"

Alibaster gave a sigh of relief and hurried to her, Pluto right behind him, as Ciel wore a confused look. ~Has she taken care of that man?~ The child asked himself.

"This door has been sealed with unusual power," Aurora announced, rubbing a hand over Pluto's head.

"It seems only a demon hound can open it." Sebastian added.

"And it's just by luck that we happen to have one with us?" Alibaster gave a frown. "Total bullshit."

Aurora gave Pluto a nudge forward with her foot and he gave a few steps forward until his collar began to glow blue; the door did the same. Aurora gave Alibaster a shove backwards as Pluto changed into his larger form and gave a huge howl.

"It's so big!" Grell gave a howl of his own.

The door slid open and in Pluto ran; Aurora move right behind him, followed by the others. Up the large stairs of the tower they ran until they reached a door that seemed to be at the very top. The room turned out to be a workroom where the puppets were all made. And there, against the back wall between a desk and a large bookcase of supplies, sat a young girl in a pink dress with long, blonde hair.

"Lizzie!" Ciel ran to her but it seemed that they were too late. She was already a puppet, though she could still talk.

"How sad," Alibaster closed his eyes, turning from the sight. Aurora could tell that his tone was mocking Ciel but stayed silent as she continued to glance around the room. It seemed that Grell was bored as well.

"She didn't have too…" Ciel sighed.

"Then why did she?" Drossel's voice dragged their attention to the young girl as she was yanked into the air and a weapon brought to her hands. "Now her body is moving without her control, will she hurt the one she claims to love mosti n the world?"

"What's happening to her?!" Ciel demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alibaster replied as the girl began to scream as she attacked Ciel and Sebastian over and over again. "She's being forced to attack you, little man, so you might want to do something quick. Grell, why don't you help them?"

"Oh, I would hate to bend one of my blades," Grell sighed as the three of them just stood there as Sebastian and Ciel continued on with Lizzie.

"I thought we had a deal here," Alibaster sighed. "The pictures for you help? If you don't help here, then the deal is off. Period."

"Oh, you're so cruel!" Grell reached over and trailed a finger down his face. "Oh, if only you weren't human…" He sighed and turned back to the scene before them. "I cannot let a little girl like you to wield a better blade than I do," He jumped into action. "Unforgivable."

Alibaster gave a shudder as he wiped the side of his face clean. "Please tell me that he did not just truly do that to me."

"Do you want me to lie?" Aurora gave him a small smile.

The man shuddered again before giving a sigh. "what do you plan on doing here, Aurora?"

She was silent for a moment before closing her eyes. "Getting revenge for a little boy."

Grell had cut Lizzie's puppet string and released her from her control just moments before Drossel tossed even more puppet strings down on the men in the room, leaving Aurora free.

"Hey! How come you aren't in on this?!" Grell demanded as he struggled. Sebastian was busy having a conversation with Drossel.

Aurora gave a soft smile as Pluto rubbed his head on her leg, finally joining them in the room. "Because. I made a promise."

"What are you doing, Aurora!?" Ciel demanded. "Help us!" Aurora stared at the boy for a moment before leaning down to check on Lizzie.

"Aurora!" Alibaster's voice caught her and she lifted her head just in time to see that Sebastian had knocked Drossel from the rafters above them, a large hole in his head. She gave a frown and caught him, instead of moving out of the way.

"Get away from hi-" Ciel's voice was cut off by the glare in the woman's eyes.

Sebastian landed beside her as Grell went off into another of his rants. "So, he was a puppet after all."

"His name was Drossel Keinz," Grell told them. "His soul was collected five years ago but we still detected signs of his existence."

"What is left of him is being controlled," Aurora told him. "He has been reanimated with a temporary soul and used as a…" She closed her eyes, anger still flaring in her. Alibaster moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ciel…" Lizzie's voice grabbed their attention again.

"You're awake. Let's got you home." Ciel told her.

"I want to give you…a real birthday party. Can I?"

Ciel looked afraid at first, but finally succumbed. "Ok. We can have a party." She closed her eyes again. "You can rest easy now, Lizzie. It's all over."

"It appears that it's not." Sebastian frowned as Drossel began to move in Aurora's arms, trying to push himself back to his feet.

"You don't have to move anymore, Drossel," The woman told him, holding him tighter. "It's all over now."

"No it's not," The puppet shook his head, the wheat falling. "Just a little bit longer…mon sauveur."

~My savior?~ Alibaster pulled a surprised face. ~Why would he call her that?~

Aurora gave a sigh and said something else in a language that neither of them, but Sebastian and Drossel it seemed, could understand. The puppet gave a nod before her hands let go of him and he stood to his feet.

"And I thought to myself…to my myself...I still have a task…" He began to leave the room, moving slowly. "I must report to…my master." As he continued to walk, more wheat fell from the hole in his head.

"What's wrong with this loon?" Grell asked. "He's all beaten up and he still wants to serve his master?"

"Perhaps I judged him too hastily," Sebastian sighed. "He may be…one hell of a butler."

Alibaster glared at the demon as the puppet opened a large set of doors. "Would you stop saying that? It's starting to be annoying to me."

"Master…it's me…" Drossel called out. He then fell forward into the dark room leaving the others to peer inside.

"Go ahead and go inside," Aurora told them all as she grabbed Drossel's body. "I don't need to…" She paused, watching as the doors shut behind them. "Besides…I already know what waits behind the doors, don't I, Duke Mandalay?"

Duke Mandalay was the brother of Dolsen…the bastard that was the cause of all of this. Or rather…the one being used by the true person pulling the strings.

_**~I am like troublesome ice after the melt**_

_**You gently scoop me up to you mouth**_

_**And play with my upper lip~**_

**Ciel let Lizzie throw him his birthday party. **He might not like to show it, but the party brought forth a smile on the boy's face. He truly did care for that girl, no matter how much of an asshole he was. Alibaster smiled, watching the younger boy. After everything that he had been through, it was no wonder he was so horrid. Alibaster found himself wondering, as the servants and Lizzie sang the birthday song, just how different Ciel would be if nothing had happened to him those years ago on his birthday. How different would he be?

"What is this?" Ciel had pulled a ring out of his mouth.

Sebastian wore a smile on his face. "Well, the season is almost upon us. It is a tradition Christmas pudding. Whose ever has the ring in it is guaranteed happiness throughout the New Year. It seems you have found the ring, master."

That set Elizabeth off into one of her rants. "Did you hear that? You can finally be happy!"

Aurora smiled at them for a moment before backing away from the door again, Pluto at her heels once more. She gave another soft smile as she rubbed a hand on his head. "How about the two of us be happy too, eh Pluto?"

The demon-dog gave a happy bark has he continued down the hall after her.

**I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	15. Chapter 13

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Melony, Alibaster, Serah, Shera, and Victor are mine.**

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

_**Freeloader**_

"**I wonder if she's okay…"**

"Who? Aurora? Please. She's the last one that you need to be worrying about. She can handle herself almost as good as your pet bird can, maybe even better." Alibaster glanced over at the younger Lord as they moved through the streets of London. "Besides, what has her on your mind? Has the Lord Phantomhive developed a crush on the red-haired maiden?"

"Don't be silly," Ciel waved his comment away as they spotted the large crowd hanging around the dead bodies in the street.

"Good, because I believe that your butler would have a problem with his master setting his eyes on his woman, wouldn't you?" He shot Sebastian a look as he and the child moved forward.

Victor gave a sigh. "You're going to get us killed one of these days, Alibaster."

The Lord of Drakeford gave a shrug. "Does it look like I care? Besides, Ciel wouldn't order his pet to do anything to us. He owes me, remember?" He closed his eyes. "He feels guilt for what his grandparents did to my mother. And Until I get that revenge that I've come for, then I plan on making him feel it over and over again."

Victor gave a sigh as they moved after Ciel an Sebastian again. Aurora had finally had enough of Ciel and his missions and had asked to stay behind at the Phantomhive Mansion with Pluto while the rest of them went on another trip. Victor understood how she felt and would have loved to stay behind with her, just like the old days, but Alibaster and made him come with him to give the woman a little time to herself. He didn't argue. Going through this crap over and over again with Ciel would drive anyone crazy. He was beginning to wonder why he wasn't crazy yet himself.

"Victor, what are you going?!" Alibaster's voice dragged the older man from his thoughts; he had to give a double look. The four men were now encircled by a group of ragged looking Indian men; bandits, it seemed.

"What in the word have you dragged us into this time?!" The man cried at the boy beside him.

"I have done absolutely nothing!" Ciel began.

"Excuse me!" A new Indian voice joined them, breaking the moment as three new people, Indian as well, walked up to them.

There were two men and a woman. The first man was young with dark skin, golden eyes, and shoulder-length plum hair with a sweet and innocent face. He ore large gold earrings and a gold clip to hold his ponytail and a decorative bindi. He dressed in a heavily embroidered sherwani, plain churidars, and other accessories like a large scarf used for a belt and a long necklace.

The other was tall, 6'4', with dark olive skin, slate-grey eyes, and short white hair with two braids that were adorned with beads. His head wrapped in a plain turban, he wore a green sherani with a yellow and white sash over plain churidars. Small, silver hoops hung from his ears and a decorative bindi on his forehead. His right hand was wrapped in bandages.

The woman closely resembled the younger man, telling the four of them that she as his sister. Her plum-colored hair was much longer than her brother's and her golden eyes seemed to hold a more firm, adult-like look to the. Dressed in a purple and golden Katsa sari, the woman looked like she wanted to be anywhere else in the world right now.

"I am looking for this Indian woman," The young man continued as he held up a horrible drawing to show to them. "Perhaps you have seen her around here."

"Who the hell are you? Just stay out of this."

"Oh my," the man gave a smile. "Are you fellows having a duel?"

"I doubt that you can call it that," The woman shook her head at her brother. "Especially with a child in the middle of it." She raised a brow then at the sight of Alibaster. "An English noblemen, hmm?"

"Honey, you come home with me and I'll be whatever you want me to be." Alibaster looked like he had hearts in his eyes.

All three of the group looked at Alibaster like he as a moron while the trio of Indians looked enraged.

"I must side with my countrymen." The man with purple hair said from behind tight lips. "Come Agni, defeat the Englishmen."

"Oh, like hell!" Alibaster turned to Ciel as the white-haired man moved forward, loosening his bandages. "Ciel, can I borrow Sebastian for a moment?"

"Why should I let you do that?"

"Because I don't-" He gave a cry as he jumped out of the way of the man, Agni's, attack.

"Aurora would be very upset if Alibaster came back wounded, you know." Victor told the younger Lord.

Ciel gave a sigh. "Sebastian,"

"Of course, my Lord." The butler gave a bow and moved in to save Alibaster from Agni. Sebastian was shocked. ~He's fast!~

"I have pressed all your pressure points," Agni hissed. "How are you still moving?"

"Oh, a man that can stand up to Agni, hmm?" The Indian smiled.

"We weren't doing anything but walking down the street!" Ciel growled, Victor holding him back from the brawl. "Are you nothing but a reckless savage who will attack anyone who walks by you?"

"What?" The brother looked shocked and glanced at the men behind him. "Tell me, men, did you attack this child for no good reason?" Their silent answer was the only thing he needed. He crossed his arms with a frown. "Unfortunantly, my countrymen are wrong here. Agni, we are on the Englishmen's side now."

"Right."

Alibaster couldn't believe his eyes a few moments later at the sight of all the Indians pulled up at his feet. "This guy is badass." He told Victor. Victor gave a small laugh.

"It is done, Prince Soma."

"Good."

"Prince?!" Alibaster sounded. ~So that means that the woman is a…~

"Are you hurt, Agni?" The woman asked as Soma gave Ciel back his hat.

"No, Your Highness," Agni gave a bow.

She crossed her arms with a frown. "How many times do I have to tell you not to address me that way?"

"But, You Highness, I-"

"You two can finish your quarrel later," Soma told them as he began to walk away. "These English streets are like a labyrinth."

"Let's take our next left." Agni told him.

"Well, we'd best find a place to stay for the night soon," The woman smiled.

"Well, nothing odd about that," Alibaster straightened the hat on his head. "Nothing odd about that at all."

"**Well, that was a complete waste of time."**

"Oh, don't be too depressed, little man," Alibaster smiled as he walked further into the house. "You can't win them all."

"Of course not. He's 12, Ali. He can't drink yet." Victor told his boss. "And the moment that Ciel tells Aurora about this she is going to be very displeased with you."

"Or laugh," Alibaster told him as Baldaroy and the others all walked forward to greet them. "You do know how she loves her laughs."

The door opened at that moment and Lau let himself on in. "Ah, my Lord, how good it is to see you. Lord Drakeford, the same goes to you."

"And you," Alibaster tipped his hat before taking it off.

"What is he doing here?" Ciel demanded. "How many times have I told you to send a note first?"

Lau gave a laugh as he moved further into the room. "I haven't kept a tally."

"Shall I bring some refreshments for our guest?" Sebastian asked.

"Uh, guests, my dear Vincent," Victor told him. "Guests."

Sebastian stared at the man beside him. He never forgot that this had been a teenager all those years ago, barely over the age of a child, when they had first met. Victor had been there for all of it so of course he would still know him as Victor, wouldn't he?

"You three again?" Ciel demanded in shock. Prince Soma, his sister, and Agni all stood there in the doorway. Soma and Agni with smiles and the woman with a slight frown at the sight of the four men from before again.

"It must have been fate!" Alibaster held hearts in his eyes again the moment he set them upon the Princess. "For why else would you be here to grave me with your beauty a second time in this day?"

"Please tell me that not all of you Englishmen are like this." She commented with crossed arms.

"Oh, them." Lau gave a smile. "I ran into them on the street corner. They said that they wanted to speak with you,"

"So you just come barging in here?" Ciel demanded.

"Certainly," Soma smiled as Agni shut the door behind them. "We are acquaintances now. Surely you haven't forgotten us."

"We met during a street brawl."

"And if you remember, I saved you." Soma smiled as he walked past them.

"SAVED ME?!" Ciel cried. "Excuse you!"

"Back home," Soma began. "If someone does you a favor, they offer you hospitality."

"But this isn't home, Soma," His sister scolded him as me moved up the stairs. She turned back to Ciel. "My apologies on behalf of my brother. He is not yet acquainted with the ways of your country."

"And you are?" Alibaster asked.

She gave a smile. "More so than my brother is, anyway. I might not know everything, but I know when I need to ask for permission." She smiled down at Ciel. "If you would not like my brother and I here, I will have no problem in removing them."

Ciel seemed lost for words for a moment before he stomped up the stairs after her brother. Alibaster gave a nicker as he heard Ciel's shouting from below.

"Don't worry," He told her. "You and your companions will have a place for the night. Ciel might seem hard, but when you boil down straight to the point he's quite a large softy."

"Yes, you can blame Aurora for that," Victor smiled.

"Speaking of which," Lau glanced around the room. "Where is Lady Aurora at? She's not sick, is she?"

"Aurora is with Pluto back at Phantomhive Manor," Alibaster answered him. "She was getting tired of being dragged around England and France with all of these things that Ciel has been going through. Women need their alone time, you know?"

"Indeed we do," The woman sighed. "Especially around children and people like all of you."

Alibaster nodded his head for a moment before glancing back at her for a moment. "Was that a pun, Your Highness?"

"Shera," the Princess gave a laugh. "Please, just call me Shera."

Shera and her brother Soma were two of the twenty-six children of the King of Bengal. The woman that they were searching for, as Shera secretly told Alibaster about, was their former nursemaid who had left them for an unknown wealthy Englishman. She had admitted that it had hurt her brother more than it had her, but she was willing to go through anything to make her brother happy.

Nothing interesting really happened the next day, not to Alibaster anyway. During Ciel's violin lesson, the three Indians had told them a story of Kali, a Hindu goddess of power. Alibaster had made a comment of the woman reminding him of Aurora; Victor and Ciel were not amused but a large smile spread across Sebastian's face. Shera made a comment in wanting to meet Aurora. The violin lesson then turned to fencing and after Ciel 'beat' Soma, Agni and Sebastian had to duel next; it ended in a draw.

"Aww, Bassy," Alibaster shook his head. "Auntie would be ashamed."

Sebastian gave a shudder at that name. "Please do NOT call me that."

Alibaster gave a laugh and turned to Shera, Soma, and Lau. "Would the two of you care to join me for a walk around the garden?"

And so they did as Agni and Sebastian created dinner. The Prince and Princess were quite enjoyable to be around, once you got past how simple-minded Soma was. There was no doubt that he was still alive just because of his sister's brains and Agni's strength. Maybe him being a Prince was part of it as well.

Not really wanting to deal with Ciel and Lau and Soma for the rest of the night, he excused himself for dinner in his room with Victor.

"It's just not the same without auntie here," Alibaster sighed, throwing himself back on the bed to stare at the ceiling. "She'd know how to knock some sense into both Soma, Ciel, and Lau."

"Ciel and Lau do seem to listen to her, perhaps Soma would be able to do the same." Victor nodded. "But perhaps we should learn not to lean on her all the time. She won't be with us forever, Alibaster…" He closed his eyes as his voice turned soft. "No matter how much we want her to be."

Alibaster sat up and stared at his friend. "Victor, do you…never mind," He shook his head and turned to glance out his window. "She might not be here forever, Victor, but I'll appreciate her for every moment that she is."

Victor hung his head, closing his eyes with a sad smile. ~As will I…more than either of you will ever know…~

**I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	16. Chapter 14

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Melony, Alibaster, Serah, Shera, and Victor are mine.**

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_**Supremely Talented**_

**Shera wore a frown on her face. **She had gone with her brother, Ciel, Lau, and Sebastian as they followed after Agni. They had left Alibaster and Victor alone for the night, and followed Agni to the manor of a man named Harold West. Harold was a wealthy businessman and a merchant of Indian goods.

"But, why is Agni here?" Shera asked, cupping her chin. "How does he know this West?"

Ciel looked at her for a moment before glancing at Sebastian. "Shall we have a look?"

"Indeed." Sebastian grabbed the child and hoped of the fence before returning to the rest of them.

"Don't worry, Shera," Soma had placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. He had seen the look on her face. "I'm sure that he has an explanation for this."

"But…what could it be?" Shera asked, nibbling on her bottom lip. "Why couldn't he tell us? Why does he have to sneak off at night and do it alone?"

"Men keep secrets, my dear," Lau smiled at her. "Just as women do. Perhaps he finds it…embarrassing. Too embarrassing to get the two of you involved with it."

"You…you think?"

"I'm sure we're about to find out." Ciel grunted, leading the way inside. They moved through the manor like stealthy mice, tiptoeing and staying silent until Sebastian opened up a door on one of the upper stairs.

Agni sat there on a couch, staring at the wall as a man in a suit stood behind him, pouring a drink.

"Why not relax with a nice scotch?" The man asked. "An excellent one from Justinian Brooks. They hold a fine warrant, you know." He held the drink to Agni but was ignored. He moved around the couch. "Our plan has been perfect so far. You've done well for me, Agni. I think we've done all we need to." He tossed a newspaper at the seat beside the other man. "Stringing up anyone else won't be necessary." He reached forward and grabbed Agni's hand. "With this blessed hand of yours, the royal warrant might as well already be in my pocket."

"A royal warrant?" Ciel whispered. "That's what this is?"

Shera's eyes widened. "Agni, what have you done?"

"If I carry out the plan as promised," Agni's voice sounded strained. "Then Meena-"

Shera reached for her brother at the name, but Soma had burst into the room, crying to know where the woman was.

"My Prince!" Agni cried, jumping to his feet. Sebastian had grabbed Ciel and pulled him out of the way, Lau doing the same with Shera.

Soma had run to Agni and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "What is this? You have known where Meena was all along, Agni?!"

"I see," Harold grinned. "This infusive young man is your master."

Soma turned his glare to him, shoving Agni out of the way. "And you are the man who took Meena away. He glanced back at Agni as he pointed at the other man. "Get him! Do you hear me?" Agni pulled a pained expression, biting his tongue as he stared anywhere but at the Prince. "What are you waiting for?"

"Let's grab that idiot Prince and get out of here right now," Ciel grumbled.

"But West will recognize you the moment you walk in," Lau sighed.

"He won't me," Shera went to move in but Sebastian grabbed her hand, pulling her back against his body. She fought the flush from the feel of his warmth. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let a woman get hurt in the process of doing something like this. Stay here with the two of them and I'll take care of this."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "You promise?"

"You have my word."

Shera let her hands drop as the butler let go of her and she sighed, glancing over at Ciel. "I…I want to leave. Now…" She wrapped her arms around her body. "I don't want to see this." She knew what was going to happen. They had been betrayed…

She had been betrayed…

"Let's go," Lau wrapped an arm around her shoulders before tossing Ciel over his own. "I think some nice, warm tea is in order."

_**~There is more to be seen**_

_**Than can ever be seen**_

_**More to do**_

_**Than can ever be done~**_

"**What in the hell are you going to do about your little bodyguard, Soma?"**

Ciel glanced from his conversation with Lau and the said Prince to Alibaster as he entered the room. He had run into Shera as the Princess had made her way to her room for the night. Victor had decided to escort the woman to her room.

Alibaster had learned everything that had happened with Agni. He gave a sigh as he sat at the table. The men had been talking about dear Agni's ability when he had entered.

"This betrayal…" Soma raised his fists and brought them crashing down on the able before him. "Why would he do it? Why do the people close to me always leave?!" He shoved the china from the table and jumped to his feet. "All of them…but why?" He ran from the room,

"The Haviland Tea Set that I went to the trouble of picking out for young master…" Sebastian sighed. "I guess I should teach him some manners."

"You have fun doing that," Alibaster told the butler. Ciel followed after him moments later. He glanced over at Lau. "So, how bad was it?"

"Extremely. The dear friend cried blood and everything. Oh, and you missed Sebastian wearing a deer head on his shoulders to hide his identity."

Alibaster's mouth dropped open. "I…I missed that?! No! Dammit! I will regret that forever!" He grabbed Lau's sleeves. "Please, please tell me that you took a picture of that!"

"I'm afraid not. Sorry."

Alibaster sat back again and glanced at the ceiling. "All of this is such a pain. When is Aurora going to hurry up and come back?"

"With the way things are going, not soon," Victor announced his arrival with the three other men that had finally finished their 'talk'.

"Is the woman all right?" Alibaster

"She's fine, just tired."

Soma closed his eyes. "If Agni's betrayal hurt anyone the most, it was her." He hung his head. "And there was nothing that I could do about it."

"Love does things like that often," Sebastian told the Prince. "Your sister must get used to it. It will not be the last time she endures something like that; especially as a princess."

"Yes," Soma nodded. "She-wait, what are you talking about?" The Prince asked.

Alibaster slapped a hand to his face. "How could you not know that your sister had a thing for your guard? You really are stupid, aren't you?"

"Alibaster!" Victor shot the other man a look as soma hung his head down even further.

"I didn't realize that West was after a royal warrant." Ciel sighed, changing the subject a bit as Sebastian grabbed another tea set and passed it around. "Though with his obsession with staus, it does make sense."

"I was wondering what exactly is a royal warrant?" Soma asked.

"It's an endorsement bestowed by the royal family upon their favorite vendors." Lau answered him. "Royal warrant holders are efficient portrayers to the crown."

"So, is there anything that's going to happen pretty soon?" Alibaster asked.

"Amongst the written invitations addressed to the young master, there was," Sebastian cupped his chin, moving his mind quickly. "A choir concert organized by the Sophia Choir Institute at Westminster Cathedral, Wagner's Opera at Covent Opera House, a prospering exhibition of Indian Culture in the empire at Crystal Palace, the World Currency Exhibition at the British Museum-"

"Indian?" Ciel raised a brow.

"Young Master, reading your own letters thoroughly no matter what the content is the way of a gentleman," Sebastian sighed.

"Give it a rest and just tell me the details quickly." Ciel growled.

"Well, It's a Curry contest, or there's going to be one in it," Victor searched his mind. "Aurora had made a comment about wanting to attend it a week or so ago with her sister, Melony."

"Is that so?" Alibaster set his cup down. "Well, that explains on why she didn't want to come with us then."

"Curry?" Soma raised a brow.

"From what I've heard, her Majesty is widely known to be a lover of curry. She'll be in attendance that day."

"No more than a rumor. Ever since her husband, Prince Albert, passed away, her Majesty barely makes any public appearance."

As the conversation continued, Alibaster took another sip from his tea, a plan raging through his head on what to do next. He watched in interest as Ciel refused to help Soma and his sister with Agni and Meena since there was nothing to do with the mission that the child was sent here for.

"You're right. This is my problem." Soma sighed. "I need to be strong and find a way to handle it on my own."

"That's a fine attitude," Ciel cracked his knuckles. "And it gives me the liberty to look after my own agenda. I was called to London in winter for a boring case like this. Don't you think I should at least take back my reward? The show is only a week away and fortunately my other capable rivals have been removed. A Royal Warrant is granted according to the results of the show and three years of free service. In other words, if my Phantom Company enter the competition and win against West, the Royal Warrant shall go to my company." Alibaster gave a smirk at the kid. ~Not too bad.~ "I'm thinking of expanding my business into the food industry once I set purveyors to the Imperial Household with confectioners and toys. It will certainly spread through the news if I set purveyors to the Imperial Household from the show at first."

"Definitely," Lau nodded. "The Phantom Company laughing into the Food Industry will also Deter Competitors. However, you have only a week from now to create a Food Department? Will you have time to find a curry specialist, a store and equipment?"

"There is no need for all that," Ciel grinned and glanced over at his butler. "Isn't that right…Sebastian."

"Yeah, yeah, your pet's good at everything." Alibaster waved a hand. "the curry-thing will be easy."

"Impossible," they all glanced at Soma. "There is no way you can win."

"Why not?" Victor raised a brow.

"He has Agni! With his right hand of god!"

"Let me guess, he can make a hell of a curry, right?" Alibaster sighed, propping his head up on his hand.

"I have never had a more delicious curry that Agni's. So, I told him that it was his duty to dedicate himself to me for the rest of his life."

"In other words, the right hand of God is…"

"Not the God level of 'strength' but rather the God level of 'capability'?"

"It seems that way." Alibaster sighed.

"Sebastian?" Ciel glanced at his butler.

Sebastian wore a smile on his face. "Fascinating indeed. Sounds like a challenge."

_**~There is more to be seen**_

_**Than can ever be seen**_

_**More to do**_

_**Than can ever be done~**_

"**Look at all of this. **Did you expect so many people?"

"I don't really mind. I am here for the entertainment. The more people there are, the more ridiculous it will be."

"Cat, you're such a foul little person, you know that?"

"Snake, how many times must you tell me this before you realize that it doesn't matter to me anymore?"

Melony shook her head at her sister. "I suppose I'll never get it down completely."

Aurora gave a grin. "I wonder, do you think that-"

"Prince Soma, Princess Shera! wait! You can't-" Both women turned just in time to have two Indians run past them, a man following them; until he saw the two women.

"Aurora!" Victor cried in relief. "Melony!"

"Oh great." Melony sighed. "If you're here then the other one and the brat is here too, aren't they?"

"It appears so," Aurora smiled.

"Aurora, you got to help!" Victor told her. "We got a big problem!"

"Let me guess; it involves the two of them?" Aurora stabbed a thumb over her shoulder at the three Indians behind her.

"Y-yes!"

"How stupid are you?" Victor turned and looked at the third Indian at the Prince was holding. Shera was just watching, her eyes wide. This had to be Meena. "Go back with you? Don't make me laugh. Why would I ever want to go back there?" She slapped the Prince's hand away and turned. "I already went through so much trouble to escape. People born to royalty can lounge around, never doing a day of work in their lives! Because I was born into a low cast, I was forever doomed to be a servant. I don't want to spend my whole life, trapped by the cast system."

Soma's eyes were wide. "You went with him willingly? It was your decision?"

"Yes, that's right!" Meena turned back to him with a growl. "A lowly servant or a rich man's wife? Even a child knows which one is better! I spent my life taking care of the both of you, you selfish brat! I was done with it! I promised that I would not tell you, but now here you are. You're old enough to know the truth." She turned to walk away but Shera had moved to block her. "And as for you, you-" She was cut off by Shera's swift strike across her face. She tumbled back. "You-" She flinched as the other woman pulled her hand back for another blow, but Shera's hand was caught.

"Let's not start trouble now," Aurora smiled as she held Shera's hand. "Now is not the time nor the place." She glanced at Meena. "Get out of here before I let the dear Princess go."

"Always got to get involved, don't you sister?" Melony sighed as the Indian woman ran off.

"That's all she knows how to do," Alibaster's voice announced that the man had joined them. Aurora could see Ciel and Lau watching them from not too far off.

"I appreciate it," Victor smiled as Shera turned to her brother and grabbed his arm.

Over to the left, the announcer was beginning to speak out to the crowd. Alibaster held an arm out for both of the female demons. "Would the two of you like to join us for the Curry contest? We have quite a show in store for today."

"Oh?" Melony giggled as she took his left arm. "And just what is that?"

Alibaster smiled. "Two hell of a butlers."

"We have prepared a Special Curry for the guests who are present. Please wait in anticipation! Now, Today's judges are…a Palace chef who will not allow any compromises in taste, Chef Higharm. A tax collector currently serving in India, Mr. Carter. And…Viscount Druitt, who has a great love of the arts and food!" The blond man in question gave out a wave and blew kisses to the crowd.

"Wasn't he arrested by the Yard?" Lau asked, getting a closer look.

"He probably bribed his way out," Ciel sighed. "How corrupt…"

"Well, look at that cutie," Melony smiled, making eyes at Agni as he stood beside Sebastian. "Where did he come from?"

"That is Agni, Prince Soma's bodyguard," Alibaster informed her. "And I'm afraid that he's already taken, my dear." He glanced from the corner of his eyes as Soma led his sister away from the stage. "Besides, I don't think that the Undertaker would like it if you were to make eyes at another man, now would he?"

"No, I don't suppose that he would," Melony grinned. "But he's not here, so who cares?"

"Besides, he's not the one that I am interested in," Aurora's eyes were into their thin slits. "I'm more interested in him."

"Wh-oh."

Alibaster raised a brow and followed both their gazes. His own eyes decided to grow wide…

**I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


	17. Chapter 15

**I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Melony, Alibaster, Serah, Shera, and Victor are mine.**

**I'm Sorry, but Ashe is just gorgeous! I am going to have some fun with this guy!**

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

_**Competing**_

"**He's not the one that I am interested in," **Aurora commented as she glanced over at the center aisle. "I'm more interested in him."

"Wh-oh," Melony let a large grin spread across her face. "I see…"

Alibaster raised a brow and followed both their gazes. He could tell that the two women were having a 'secret conversation' between each other beneath their words and it annoyed him that he didn't know what it was, but he would let it slide. But only because this was interesting.

Queen Victoria had decided to join them tonight, in a black dress and a veil. Aurora gave a small frown. The last time that she had seen the Queen, on that special night with her husband, Victoria had been…taller. Taller, and that man escorting her had not been there.

The man was the one that had caught her attention. As the crowd began to sing, save for Baldaroy, Lau, Aurora, Melony and Alibaster, she kept her attention on him. He was a pale man with short, white hair. His suit matched the colors with the purple vest and gloves as his suit was a crisp white. A fencing sword hung on his left hip as the Queen held onto his right hand. As she watched him pass, his eyes opened to show of a bright amethyst that slid to lock onto hers. A small grin perked at the tips of his lips and she tilted her head to the side slightly, a grin spreading wider across her own…

"Oh indeed," Aurora replied to her sister as he continued on to the chair and gave a bow as the singing came to a stop.

"Her Majesty bids me tell you 'I am so sorry I have been unable to appear before you. However, I am now in such perfect health I may even enjoy curry again. My late husband was extremely fond of curry as well. I look forward to your food'."

"Yes, he was," Aurora gave a small grin. Melony gave her sister a slight shove as the cheers sounded.

Alibaster glanced at her. "Do you like, get off on remembering all this shit you do?"

"In my situation," She grinned at him. "Wouldn't you?"

Alibaster gave a shudder. ~Sometimes, I forget how creepy Auntie can be…~

And with that, the Curry contest began. They watched in silence for a while before Victor slipped off from the crowd.

"Need I ask what happened who the duo from India?"

"Oh, you know how Ciel's luck is," Alibaster gave a shrug. He then raised a brow as Sebastian began to toss chocolate in his curry. "Things in all shapes and sizes seems to find their amusing ways to Ciel's hands."

"Isn't that the truth?" Ciel's voice joined them in a dull tone. "And you're one of them."

"But such strange things can be the best, can they not be?" Melony grinned. "After all, isn't Sebastian a…blue…lobster?" They all turned their attention back to Agni to see that the man had pulled out said lobster.

"I've never seen that before," Alibaster commented, scratching his chin as Druitt went into one of his ridiculous fazes.

"This is beginning to be ridiculous," Aurora sighed, turning her head. "I thought that it'd be…funner."

"What exactly were you expecting?" Melony asked her sister.

"Who knows?" Aurora turned her gaze back to the man beside the queen. He seemed to feel her gaze and glanced back at her, that smile tugging on his lips again. "Maybe something will show up…"

Victor had yet to return when the contest was settled to be judged and, of course, Sebastian and Agni were the top two contenders. Agni decided to show off seven different types of Curry with the blue lobster that he had prepared and it impressed the three judges beyond levels. Even the chef was throwing out praise. And then Druitt had to ruin it with his voice on some woman he met at a ball.

"Hey, could he be talking about you, Ciel?" Alibaster asked with a huge grin.

Ciel looked like he wanted to murder the older man.

When Sebastian revealed his curry, in the shapes of…whatever that was, Alibaster couldn't hold his laughter back. "I know that our friend will win, but sometimes I just don't understand how he comes up with half the shit he does."

Melony gave a groan. "You and me both."

"Behold! The Curry Bun!" Sebastian called out.

Everyone wasn't sure what was going on at the moment but when the judges began to give praise to what Sebastian had given them, the laughter behind the butler was changed.

"No," Alibaster gave a large smile as Druitt went off about a twittering robin. "That's when he's thinking about you, Ciel."

"I will murder you." Ciel growled at the older man.

The curry was passed out among the crowd, save for the normal few, and Ciel and the others began to converse about the Queen not eating and other things, but as said before, Aurora's attention was not on the Queen, but on her companion. Glancing from the corner of her eye, she saw Victor walking by with those two Indians from before. She gave a frown as Ciel moved after him.

"These Indians…the siblings from before and then those two over there," She nodded her head towards Agni and West and the other woman. "They're the reason why Ciel's involved in this contest, aren't they?"

"Unfortunately so." Lau answered her. "It seems that confusion breaks out when you're not around. How does that always seem to happen?"

Aurora heard his question but her attention was caught on Agni and West. That woman from before was yelling at Agni, who was on his hands and knees crying…blood?

"What all did I miss?" She asked herself.

"Boring shit," Alibaster answered her. "Besides missing Sebastian run around with a deer-head…on his head."

Melony pulled a surprised look before giving out a huge laugh. "Please tell me that you got a picture of that!"

Alibaster gave a grin. "That's exactly what I said!"

Sebastian was asked to bring the Queen a Curry Bun. Why everyone seemed to be shocked by that, Aurora had no idea. "It's just food," She commented.

"It's because she's the Queen," Melony told her sister.

"I forget on how amusing these humans can be sometimes."

"The Queen says 'You have created something a child would eat without her use of a knife or a fork. In doing so, you have reinforced a necessary equality between our nation's children and our adults. That, I thank you. Well done. You have contributed to our great country, sir. Her Majesty is truly appreciative."

"Don't make me laugh!" Everyone turned to see Meena glaring at them. Aurora frowned at the dark feeling around her. "How you flatter yourself. Equality? The future?" The woman went on a rampage and flipped a table over, shattering everything onto the floor. West tried to stop his wife but she elbowed him in the stomach and he went flying back nearly 30 feet.

"No, there's nothing strange about that at all." Alibaster sighed, watching as all the guards got their asses kicked. "Come one. You'd think that they'd be able to do at least a LITTLE BIT of something!" He then gave a frown as even more of the people in the area began to go on a fighting spree.

Aurora gave a sigh and placed a hand on her hip. "Reasons like this are why I wanted a break from all of you people. Can't I just have a normal day?"

"For us, Cat, this is a normal day!" Melony grinned, lifting her foot and knocking one of the guys away from them.

"Unfortunately, I have to agree," Alibaster commented as Sebastian began to go at it like crazy with Meena.

"Meena, no!" Soma's voice rang out.

"What is going on?" Shera asked, gazing around at the people attacking the others.

"My Prince!" They turned to see Agni running up to them.

"Agni!" Soma was happy to see him but Shera turned her head away, just to find herself face to face with one of the other chefs. Agni didn't like the thought of that and wound his arms around the Princess, pulling her back towards him before knocking the other chef in the face.

"Tell me," Soma began. "What is going on here?"

Agni place Shera on her feet again as he answered. "I'm not sure. Meena and some of the others ate a bit of the curry and suddenly-"

Shera turned away as the two men continued to speak. She was still made at Agni from what happened the other night. She felt betrayed by him. It wasn't a feeling that she liked. Not from him.

"This is not your fault," Agni's voice made her turn back to them. "Her heart is possessed by the evil spice, my Prince."

"I know that," Soma hung his head. "You do not need to say anymore. I have blamed everyone except myself for my loneliness and then for Meena leaving me, too. I'm such a spoiled brat. Why would anyone love me? Shera only deals with me because I'm her brother and you're only here because of her!"

"Shut up, Soma!" He turned to see that his sister was glaring at him. "Agni and I…we are always there for you because you are important to us, Soma, no matter what you think!"

Agni had begun to cry again, this time in tears, not blood. Soma stared at the two of them before giving a soft smile. "I am sorry I have not said it. Forgive me, and tell me," He reached forward and placed a hand on both their shoulders. "Will you stay with me?"

"Oh Soma," Shera threw her arms around her brother, pulling him into a tight grip.

Soma gave a grin as he glanced at the man behind his sister. "Meena is wrong. Stop her!"

"And there he goes," Melony grinned as Agni jumped into the middle of the room beside Sebastian. "Some humans are quiet entertaining. He has quite the strength that you normally don't see among those weak beings."

"Hmph," Aurora glanced from her sister and then turned to Ciel. "Are you all right, Phantomhive?"

The child glanced back at her. "Yes…"

"You have a fine butler," The man in white beside the queen gave a chuckle. "I doubt he will need my help in this fight." Ciel glanced at him. "A bit strange though, isn't it? This is all because of some spice but only certain people are affected. If it was evil, wouldn't more people go insane? Really, if you think about it, there is no one in this world who can claim to truly be pure of heart."

"True," Aurora replied. "But who do you know that claims to be pure of heart?" turning back in time to hear a roar, she had only a moment to see Meena running out them before soma popped up, shielding her and Ciel from her attack.

"Soma!" Shera cried out for her brother as Agni called out for the prince…until Meena tripped over one of Agni's blue lobsters. Melony and Alibaster were trying to hold each other up as they laughed so hard; Victor face-palmed.

"Meena, forgive me!" Soma cried as she moved forward and pinned the woman to the ground beneath his foot.

"Sebastian, the Curry buns," Ciel called out to the butler.

Aurora turned her head. "I take a few days off for a break from all of this, and I still end up with stupidity." Giving a sigh, she glanced at the man in white again. "Well, perhaps not all of it…"

The man gave a smile to her as Sebastian tossed Curry Buns into the mouths of the humans that were attacking. It seemed to be the cure and everything returned to normal.

"The queen bids me tell you," The man in white began. "The goodness of your Curry buns has defeated the evilness of the demon spice and healed those who it had deflected and therefore the winner of the royal warrant has been decided…"  
As the sun set, the group stood around and watched as those wounded were taken off to the hospital and the others were taken care of.

"They won't be treated badly," the Queen's companion approached them again. "Thank you. You have done very well today. I congratulate you on success of obtaining a royal warrant. Her Majesty has expressed her gratitude for you. She bids me tell you 'I'm sorry for your hardship and know that I have been watching your work closely. I am in the light as you are in the shadows'." He gave a bow. "Though our positions are different, we strive for the same thing. I ask that you please continue to aid her Majesty."

Ciel stared at him for a moment. "Yes."

"Then I will bid you farewell."

"Surely this will not be the last we meet," Aurora called to him as he turned.

"Of course not." He gave another bow. "It will always be my pleasure to meet with you again, Lady Mcklaine." He turned and left again.

At that name, several looks passed through some face. Aurora's stretched out into a large, pleased grin. Sebastian's face turned to one of surprise as he stared after the man as he left them behind. Melony's face, though, had turned nto one of horror as she stared at her sister. Alibaster and Victor raised a brow as they exchanged a glance with the other, not sure what had happened. What they did know, though, was this had something to do with Aurora's past.

"I have to thank you, too," Soma told Ciel. "What if I had never met you? I would always be a selfish pig that I've always been. There are so many things that I still have to learn. All of England, no, all of the world, will have to teach me and I am a willing student."

"Good, now I don't have to do it anymore." Shera teased, giving him a slight shove with her hip.

Agni glanced at Sebastian. "And thank you," He dropped to his knees. "Your household has taught the Prince, the Princess, and me a many great things. What would we have done without you?"

Sebastian knelt in front of him, still holding the prize they had won. "Please lift up your head. I have my own reasons for my actions. You have absolutely no reason to be thanking me. The goddess Kali you believe in and Shiva both realized their faults through their mutual pain, just as you are doing now. As they say, 'No pain, no gain'."

Agni stood, scratching his head. "To have a story from my country explained by an Englishman. It's a little embarrassing."

"It has nothing to do with England or India," Sebastian replied. "No matter where or when, it's the same." He gave a grin. "Humanity, that is."

"Yes, I understand," Agni nodded. "The evening sun as seen from the banks of the Ganges, the Evening sun seen in England…"

"It has the same beauty." Shera smiled, moving up beside the man. She laced her fingers through his, taking a firm grip on his hand. Agni glanced down at her with a smile. She then gave her own smile over her shoulder as Soma grabbed Ciel and began to cry over Meena again for a moment. "It will soon pass, at least for now."

"Yes," Agni gave a small nod. "I am very glad that we came to England. Both My Prince, My Princess, and I were able to make good friends."

Sebastian pulled a surprised face. "Friends…is it? That's the first time anyone has said that to me."

Alibaster turned from the group as Ciel began to go off at Sebastian for an envelope that the Queen had left him and turned to Aurora. "Did you get the break that you needed?"

"I suppose that's as good as I'll ever get, considering who I have to deal with."

"Hey, remember that if you ever really do need a place, Undie and I will like to have you around!"

"Undie?" Victor tilted his head to the side.

"Yes," Alibaster rubbed his chin for a moment. "Our dear friend the Undertaker could keep anyone away if he wanted to."

Melony gave a huge grin. "Oh, you have no idea."

**Now, this is where things change. I know that the Anime does not follow the storyline of the Manga, but I like the manga so much that I'm afraid I'm going to have to! I will finish the anime first though, but that will not end after Episode 25. When the end of the anime arrives, I shall pick up right where Noah Ark's circus begins :D**

**I hope you guys like it. Review! :)**


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